Source: Aena

  • The feedback from passengers around the world at more than fifty airports, collected by the Skytrax consultancy, rewards the COVID-19 hygiene and safety measures implemented by Aena
  • Cleanliness, signage, maintaining safety distance, the availability of hydro-alcoholic gel and mask wearing are the key aspects most valued by users
  • Skytrax is a world-class airport research and audit consultant
  • Aena airports have received further recognition from the Airports Council International (ACI) for the measures adopted during the pandemic

Aena has been recognised with the ‘Best Airport Group COVID-19 Excellence’ award at the 2022 World Airport Awards, awarded by prestigious airport research and audit consultancy Skytrax, which consults with passengers around the world at more than fifty airports. The airports in the Aena network have been selected for their high hygiene and safety standards in their facilities during the pandemic.

Aena Chairman Maurici Lucena highlighted the great value of this award: “It is highly satisfying that users have valued so positively Aena’s ongoing effort to implement health safety measures and protocols in times as hard as the pandemic. Aena’s teams have gone above and beyond to safely resume activity and traffic data so far this year and those anticipated this summer show that it has paid off and that passengers have confidence in our facilities and, by extension, in Spain. This is because airports are the indispensable gateway to our country and many of our cities. This international recognition demonstrates the absurdity and unreasonableness of criticism directed at Aena’s main airport during the pandemic.”

Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted has praised the work of the Spanish airport manager: “We congratulate Aena for its success in earning this important recognition as the ‘World’s Best Airport Group for Excellence in COVID-19 Hygiene and Safety.’ The past two years have been extremely difficult for airports around the world. They have faced numerous COVID-19 restrictions and the major decline in travel demand. With air traffic returning to pre-pandemic levels, Aena is meeting the challenge of delivering the highest standards in quality across its airport network.”

Users have especially valued key aspects such as informative signage related to COVID-19, the requirement to wear masks, the availability of hydro-alcoholic gel dispensers in visible places and the measures taken to maintain social distance, both in relaxation areas and at security checkpoints, as well as the cleanliness of the terminals and toilets.

The Skytrax Awards

Skytrax’s World Airport Awards, which are considered one of the world’s leading quality recognitions for the airport industry, were awarded in a ceremony as part of the Passenger Terminal exhibition held in Paris.

These awards are based on the consultant’s satisfaction surveys of passengers at different airlines and airports around the world with a single questionnaire and analysis format. Skytrax is an airline research and observation agency dedicated to conducting quality studies in the aviation sector, analysing more than 550 airports and 525 airlines worldwide.

International recognitions for Aena’s COVID-19 measures

Aena launched its Operational Recovery Plan at the start of the pandemic, with more than 100 safety, hygiene and health control measures, including organisational, operational and those aimed directly at passengers.

In this regard, a few months ago the Airports Council International (ACI) awarded the ‘Best Hygiene Measures’ prize to a total of six airports in the Aena network: Barcelona-El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport, Pamplona Airport, Reus Airport, Seve Ballesteros-Santander Airport, Region of Murcia International Airport and El Hierro Airport. This recognition was obtained based on evaluations made by those visiting and evaluating airports through the ASQ (Airport Service Quality Programme) surveys collected by ACI, on sanitary controls, hydro-alcoholic gel dispensers and passenger information, among others.

In addition, in 2021, Aena obtained the Airport Health Accreditation (AHA) of ‘Safe Airport’ for the 46 airports in the network. This ICA accreditation, based on World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, once again recognised the commitment of airports to health measures implemented for employee and passenger safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.