30-07-2010

• World’s Leading Airports Report
  Airports in Atlanta, Raleigh-Durham, Oslo, Geneva, Hong Kong, and Seoul-Gimpo are tops in their respective continents, according to the annual Global Airport Benchmarking Report released by the Air Transport Research Society (ATRS).
   
  Atlanta lays claim to the title of most efficient airport not only in North America but in the world whereas Raileigh-Durham is rated as the most efficient among airports in North America with less than 15 million passengers.
  
  Among the European Airports, Oslo International Airport won the most efficient European airport award in term of operating/managerial efficiency performance, while Geneva International Airport garnered the top award as being the most efficient among the medium/small size airport with 15 million or less passengers (based on 2008 passenger statistics).
  
  In Asia, Hong Kong International Airport is identified as the most efficient airport while Seoul-Gimpo Airport has won the top efficiency award among the medium/small airport category with 15 million or less passengers.
  
  ATRS, the world’s leading academic society in air transport field, measure and compare the operating/managerial efficiency and cost competitiveness of 142 airports and 16 airport groups in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and Oceania. The Global Airport Benchmarking Task Force includes 13 leading researchers (list available from www.atrsworld.org) from Asia, Europe, North America and Australia, and is led by Professor Tae H. Oum of Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia, ATRS president and Coordinator for the Task Force.
  
  “This airport benchmarking report provides a comprehensive and unbiased evaluation of airport performance around the globe,” says Oum. “With increasing competition in air transport markets worldwide, these rankings are helpful to not only the airports and airlines, but also to governments, consultants, institutional investors, researchers and graduate students.”
  
  According to the report, diversification of airport’s revenue sources is increasingly important not only for the financial health but also for efficient management and operation of today’s airports. “Airports with a larger share of non-aeronautical revenue including commercial revenue achieve higher efficiency and thus, able to offer lower fees to airlines for aircraft landings,” says Oum, who cites parking, office rentals, retail activity and real estate development as some of the areas where airports can be successful at supplementing air transport revenues. For example, in 2008 Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson International airport generated 58% of their total revenue from non-aviation activities while Miami International Airport generated only about 30% of their total revenue from non-aviation activities. Atlanta’s aircraft landing fees were among the lowest of all airports in the world.
  
  
  The Air Transport Research Society now in its 13th year, was established to enhance research capability for multi-national and multi-disciplinary issues on air transportation, and to foster interaction with international and national institutions which deal with policy, management strategy and/or infrastructure issues concerning global aviation. It initiated the annual global airport performance benchmarking project in year 2000. For more information, visit www.atrsworld.org.
  
  Source: Jarosław Nowicki, www.atrsworld.org

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