Source: AIA

  • On the seasonal service category Delta Air Lines was awarded for fastest recovery
  • Air Canada was highly commended in the same category

Focusing on the challenges that the next day holds in the field of aviation and the successive developments taking place in the international airport environment and in the world of technology, AIA’s Airline Marketing Workshop was held again on February 22nd, 2023, after three years, in the presence of more than 200 attendees.

With the inventive and symbolic title “Sounding the Future”, the “2.2” airline marketing annual gathering (22nd since airport launch) brought together AIA, the Athens airport community, distinguished speakers from the field of aviation and beyond, sustainable tourism, academia, as well as from the world of artificial intelligence and futurology, eyeing the future and sustainable development.

All together “composed” the “Sounding of the Future” reflecting the double meaning of the English title “The Sounding of the Future” which refers to the term market sounding – the exchange of information and data and the continuous tracking and investigation of the market, but also – making a linguistic play with the “sounds”, the exploration, the orchestration and the actual musical “synthesis of the future”.

The basic themes of the Workshop were the following:

  • Athens Market Overview 2022
  • What Happens Next? Trends, Risks, Opportunities & more in the Aviation Industry – A panel with distinguished aviation professionals and speakers, i.e.  Mr. Rafael Schvartzman, Regional Vice President, IATA (Live Streaming) Mr. Jiri Marek, CEO, Air Serbia Mr. Robert Chad, Area Manager for France, Belgium, The Netherlands and Southern Europe, IATA and moderated by Mrs. Ioanna Papadopoulou, Director, Communications & Marketing and Mr. Nikos Iosif, Manager, Operational Compliance & Transformation, AIA.
  • “The Airport Talk” – A fire-side chat with Mrs. Angela Gittens, former Director General, ACI World
  • Travel in the age of chaos – Geopolitics & the Aviation Industry – Arthur Snell, Former British High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago & Former Assistant Director for Counter – Terrorism at Foreign and Commonwealth Office
  • “Sounding the Future” – Gerd Leonhard, Futurist, Humanist, author of “Technology vs Humanity” & CEO “The Futures Agency”
  • The “Sound” of the Future – Dimitrios Vassilakis, President of Jazz Democracy NPO – Artistic Director & founder of RIJF
  • “Accessing” Sustainable Aviation & Tourism – Panel Moderator: Mr. Thodoris Georgakopoulos, Journalist & Author and panelists Mr. Luigi Cabrini, Chair of the BoD, Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Mrs. Alexia Panagiotopoulou, Head of Strategy, Athens Development & Destination Management Agency (ADDMA) Mrs. Maria Kapralou, Supervisor, Passengers & PRM Handling, AIA
  • Predicting the Future? AI & Game Theory – Dr. Constantinos Daskalakis, Professor of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, MIT
  • Closing credits – AIA CEO, Dr Yiannis Paraschis

A special symbolic moment of this year’s Airline Marketing Workshop was the musical bridge connecting the past with the present and with the future, as presented by the composer Telemachos Mousas and his band, with the electronic “theremin” (aetherophone) invented in the 1920s and which is the only musical instrument that produces music without physical contact by the performer

The workshop’s Closing Credits were delivered by AIA’s CEO, Yiannis Paraschis. In his message, he referred to the positive outcome of the year that ended, the excellent cooperation and the effort made by the entire airport community effectively facing the critical challenges of 2022, but also those that the industry is anticipated to face, in the light of international challenges, the volatility of the geopolitical situation, the fast-paced development of technology and the major issue of sustainability & the environment.

AIA’s awards to the airlines with the fastest recovery in 2022

At the same time, Athens International Airport awarded for another year the airlines that recorded the most successful course of recovery and development during the previous year, recording significant recovery rates and passenger traffic volumes on their scheduled operations to and out of Athens.

These year’s awards analytically:

  • Fastest Recovered Airline – Domestic

SKY express was awarded for fastest recovery rates in the domestic market in 2022.

AEGEAN was highly commended in the same category.

  • Fastest Recovered Airline – Western Europe

Volotea was awarded for fastest recovery rates in the Western Europe market.

Wizz Air was highly commended in the same category.

  • Fastest Recovered Airline – Eastern Europe

Tarom was awarded for fastest recovery rates in the Eastern Europe market.

Wizz Air was highly commended in the same category.

  • Fastest Recovered Airline – Middle East

Gulf Air was awarded for fastest recovery rates in the Middle East market.

El Al was highly commended in the same category.

  • Fastest Recovered Airline – Africa

EGYPTAIR was awarded for fastest recovery rates in the Africa market.

AEGEAN was highly commended in the same category.

  • Fastest Recovered Airline – Asia

Scoot was awarded for fastest recovery rates in the Asia market.

Air China was highly commended in the same category.

  • Fastest Recovered Airline – America

Emirates was awarded for fastest recovery rates in the America market.

·              Fastest Recovered Airline Seasonal Route – North America

Delta Air Lines was awarded for fastest recovery – seasonal route in the America market.

Air Canada was highly commended in the same category.

  • Fastest Recovered Airline Seasonal Route – Europe

Brussels Airlines was awarded for fastest recovery – seasonal route in the Europe market.

Air Baltic was highly commended in the same category.

  • Overall traffic performance in 2022 – Growth

SKY express was awarded for highest growth rate at Athens International Airport in 2022

  • Overall traffic performance in 2022 – Volumes

AEGEAN was awarded for recording the highest passenger traffic volume rates at Athens International Airport in 2022.

Special Award: “You’re An AΘenian, too!”

For the first time ever, this special distinction was awarded to Angela Gittens, former Director General ACI World, for her valuable and multi-year contribution to the promotion of Athens in particularly difficult times.

The name of the specific award has its origins in Athens International Airport’s 2014 successful international campaign “PerhaΨ you’re an Athenian too!”, when the Athens Airport invited visitors from all over the world to feel like citizens of Athens!

AIA’s Director, Communications & Marketing, Ioanna Papadopoulou stated on the occasion of this year’s Airline Marketing Workshop:

“It was with great joy and emotion that we organized our Workshop this year, which in fact was our first full in -person event after 3 years. We met our airline partners in the extraordinary venue of the Athens Conservatory to explore trends, risks and opportunities and share the knowledge and expertise of distinguished speakers.

Our two-way and rewarding relationship with our airline partners, and our common course, is characterized by the energy and spirit of excellent cooperation and adaptability in the field of aviation and tourism. We work closely together to compose and orchestrate the following day and, as we extend for yet another year our warmest thanks to the airlines, we remain true to the principles of meaningful cooperation and support that we have built.”