Schiphol takes the ‘big one’ in ACI EUROPE Awards – and lets everyone know

Big hitter: Schiphol CEO Jos Nijhuis (right) happily took the prize for best big ACI EUROPE airport (over-25 million) from Tan Sri Bashir, Managing Director & CEO, Malaysia Airports. Nijhuis carried the award around Madrid for the next 24 hours to remind everyone that he’d won, and promised that it will also accompany any travelling members of the senior Schiphol management team for the foreseeable future. While this is the second year that Schiphol has taken the biggest airport prize, later on Munich’s CEO, Michael Kerkloh, reminded Nijhuis “we only didn’t win because we didn’t enter; just wait until next year.”

Manuel Lopez Aguilar, Executive VP Commercial Iberia, presents Hamburg with Best Airport 10-25 million category, received by Mattias Quaritsch, Director of Corporate Communications, Hamburg Airport. Graded as “excellent in almost all the areas considered”, the airport has also won the Skytrax “Best Regional Airport Europe” this year.

José Maria Palencia, CEO World Duty Free Group (and ACI EUROPE Awards sponsor) presented Edinburgh with Best 5-10 million ACI EUROPE Airport for the second year running (received by Edinburgh Airport’s Shaun Ketchen, Head of Terminal and Security).

London City Airport took the award for “Best ACI EUROPE Airport” in the under 5 million passenger category: Olivier Jankovec, Director General, ACI EUROPE handed the prize to Declan Collier, CEO of London City “for great achievements in quality of service” and recession-smashing growth of 8% last year. See also "London City Airport backs anna.aero London Triathlon team for third year.