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01. Joint Address by the Chaiman and the CEO
For the aviation industry worldwide, 2011 was a year of aircraft movements. This outcome is mainly attributed
of recovery in passenger traffic. Despite the economic to the drop of the domestic sector (-11.9%), whereas
uncertainty in Europe airports showed resilience international air travellers presented only limited losses
exhibiting a 7% passenger traffic increase over 2010, a (-3.1%). Amid the overall negative climate however, within
year in which traffic was marked by the volcano eruption 2011 9 new destinations were added to the airport’s
in Spring and the snow events in December. However, network, while AIA welcomed 5 new airline partners,
traffic growth showed resulting to Athens being
a slow down towards directly connected with
year end while European scheduled services with
airlines are impacted 113 destinations in 49
by the new escalation countries, operated by a
of fuel prices coupled total of 72 carriers.
with a weakened Euro.
For Athens International In the middle of these
Airport, 2011 was negative conditions,
admittedly one of the not only did AIA
most challenging years: continue to provide
the Greek economy its full airline support
experienced a dire and developmental
financial situation with its programmes, but also
GDP dropping by almost introduced new initiatives,
7%, and factors such as clearly demonstrating
the structural changes its active engagement in
in the Greek aviation supporting its partners
market and the tarnished during these critical times
image of the city and and in helping them
the country, affected reduce considerably their
the supply as well as the operating costs. In this
demand side of the air context, AIA maintained
travel equation. all charges unchanged
without any inflationary
Substantial network adjustments, for a third
rationalisation and route consecutive year. This
development changes was complemented by
were imminent for the extension of the
Olympic and Aegean, since special seasonal support
the European Commission programme “Passenger
announced at the end of Seasonal Incentive” for
January 2011 its decision the period November
to block the proposed 2010 – May 2011, aiming
merger, based on a at supporting carriers
quasi-monopoly rationale with an increase in their
in the main domestic passenger traffic to
routes. With the adverse international destinations.
macroeconomic climate Prof. Stratos Papadimitriou In addition, taking into
affecting significantly Chairman of the Board of Directors consideration the political
the indices of the Greek turmoil in the N. Africa
economy, and subsequently air travel demand, mainly region, AIA introduced supportive schemes to assist
in the domestic sector, Athens International Airport’s carriers operating scheduled services out of Athens to the
passenger traffic managed to present limited losses at specific destinations.
the level of 6.3%, mostly as a result of the resilience
of international markets to the adverse trends. More In recognition of its consistent and dynamic support to
specifically, 2011 ended for the airport with 14.45 million the airlines despite the country’s economic problems and
passengers, a modest shortfall of 6.3% on passenger overall traffic downturn, AIA received two distinctions
throughput and a sharper decline of 9.6% in the number in the frame of OAG-Routes Airport Marketing Awards,
6 Annual report
For the aviation industry worldwide, 2011 was a year of aircraft movements. This outcome is mainly attributed
of recovery in passenger traffic. Despite the economic to the drop of the domestic sector (-11.9%), whereas
uncertainty in Europe airports showed resilience international air travellers presented only limited losses
exhibiting a 7% passenger traffic increase over 2010, a (-3.1%). Amid the overall negative climate however, within
year in which traffic was marked by the volcano eruption 2011 9 new destinations were added to the airport’s
in Spring and the snow events in December. However, network, while AIA welcomed 5 new airline partners,
traffic growth showed resulting to Athens being
a slow down towards directly connected with
year end while European scheduled services with
airlines are impacted 113 destinations in 49
by the new escalation countries, operated by a
of fuel prices coupled total of 72 carriers.
with a weakened Euro.
For Athens International In the middle of these
Airport, 2011 was negative conditions,
admittedly one of the not only did AIA
most challenging years: continue to provide
the Greek economy its full airline support
experienced a dire and developmental
financial situation with its programmes, but also
GDP dropping by almost introduced new initiatives,
7%, and factors such as clearly demonstrating
the structural changes its active engagement in
in the Greek aviation supporting its partners
market and the tarnished during these critical times
image of the city and and in helping them
the country, affected reduce considerably their
the supply as well as the operating costs. In this
demand side of the air context, AIA maintained
travel equation. all charges unchanged
without any inflationary
Substantial network adjustments, for a third
rationalisation and route consecutive year. This
development changes was complemented by
were imminent for the extension of the
Olympic and Aegean, since special seasonal support
the European Commission programme “Passenger
announced at the end of Seasonal Incentive” for
January 2011 its decision the period November
to block the proposed 2010 – May 2011, aiming
merger, based on a at supporting carriers
quasi-monopoly rationale with an increase in their
in the main domestic passenger traffic to
routes. With the adverse international destinations.
macroeconomic climate Prof. Stratos Papadimitriou In addition, taking into
affecting significantly Chairman of the Board of Directors consideration the political
the indices of the Greek turmoil in the N. Africa
economy, and subsequently air travel demand, mainly region, AIA introduced supportive schemes to assist
in the domestic sector, Athens International Airport’s carriers operating scheduled services out of Athens to the
passenger traffic managed to present limited losses at specific destinations.
the level of 6.3%, mostly as a result of the resilience
of international markets to the adverse trends. More In recognition of its consistent and dynamic support to
specifically, 2011 ended for the airport with 14.45 million the airlines despite the country’s economic problems and
passengers, a modest shortfall of 6.3% on passenger overall traffic downturn, AIA received two distinctions
throughput and a sharper decline of 9.6% in the number in the frame of OAG-Routes Airport Marketing Awards,
6 Annual report
