Schiphol chosen as Europe’s best airport

On Thursday 16 June, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol came first in the category ‘more than 25 million passengers' of the “ACI EUROPE Best Airport awards 2011”. Ad Rutten, Executive Vice President & COO Schiphol Group accepted the award on Thursday evening during the 21st ACI EUROPE Annual General Assembly. Nominations were evaluated by a jury of independent experts. According to the jury’s report, Schiphol is a model in terms of efficiency, facilities offered, continuous infrastructure development and attention to the environment.

This is not the first time that Schiphol has won this prestigious prize. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol was awarded a first prize in the category of largest airports in 2009 as well. A word from CEO Jos Nijhuis: “We are proud to receive such recognition. It underscores our ambition to be and remain ‘Europe’s preferred airport’. At the Main Port, interaction between mutually reinforcing businesses and activities has allowed Schiphol to develop into what it is today: an international hub of people, goods and services. Schiphol connects the Netherlands with the rest of the world and the way in which we do this has now been acknowledged by this jury.”

ACI EUROPE is the European division of ACI (Airport Council International), the international trade association for airports. The association looks after the interests of more than 400 airports in 46 European countries. These airports facilitate over 90% of all flight movements in Europe, accommodating over one billion passengers a year.

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has received a number of other awards this year:

• Air Cargo Excellence Award 2011
• Number 1 Top airports for shopping - Today Luxury Travel 2011
• Airport Marketing Award West Europe - Routes 2011
• Best Airport of the Netherlands - Wereldwijzer Reis Forums 2011
• IT Project of the Year Award (Baggage hall South) - IT Management ICT Academy 2011
• Dutch Building Award for sustainable building (TransPort) - Nederlandse Bouwprijs 2011