Having welcomed throughout this 23-year period more than 370 million passengers and over 4 million flights, Athens International Airport keeps creating significant value for the national, regional & local economy, its shareholders, stakeholders, and the wider public. Αs Greece’s biggest airport and one of the most important engines of employment and growth in the country ΑΙΑ is powering a vibrant airport community of 16,000 people and 300 businesses within “the fence”.
The airport operator, AIA, is continuously and incessantly seeking to enhance the connectivity of Athens, as a city-break, year-round sustainable destination.
In the year 2023 Athens International Airport connected travellers from over 156 destinations in 57 countries, on more than 65 airlines, with its annual traffic amounting to 28.17 million passengers, higher by 24% than the 2022 levels, and even ”beating” its previous record of the year 2019- by 10.2%.
The air connectivity of Athens not only enjoyed fast recovery from the Covid-19 impact, but even progressed spectacularly beyond that, with the airport achieving impressive growth of its passenger traffic in 2023. Key contributors to this positive outlook remain the Airport Company’s renowned route development and airline marketing strategy, with one of the most comprehensive and innovative airline incentive schemes internationally, and a strategic focus on the promotion of “Destination Athens” through initiatives and synergies.
As a testimony of its excellence in aviation marketing strategy, AIA gained once again the recognition of the airlines themselves in “ROUTES EUROPE 2023” awards, voted as the top airport of Europe in the highly competitive category of airports with more than 20 million passengers annually. To this day, Athens International Airport has received more than 120 significant international awards and distinctions, across all facets of its operations and activity.
However, visiting the Athens airport, is not only about enjoying the benefits of a comprehensive airline network bringing together million of passengers, cultures, and destinations; Within its premises, Athens International Airport every day seeks ways to offer a top passenger experience, and its commercial offering is not an exception: The “Best of Greece” concept within the airport’s terminal areas is a celebration of Greek heritage and encompasses AIA’s commercial strategy in the non-aviation sector. With nearly 160 shops across 13,500m², AIA has transformed 30% of its shop concepts in recent years to offer passengers an authentic taste of Greece, from gourmet foods to artisanal products, embodying the richness of Greek culture and commerce.
Having many a time been awarded by the Airports Council International as Best Airport in Europe in terms of service quality and passenger satisfaction, AIA continues, during 2024, its investment programme of aesthetic, functional and operational enhancements at its premises. To meet growing future demand, AIA has developed a Master Plan to increase terminal capacity to 50m pax. The first phase (MP33) will increase capacity to 33m by 2028 and to 40m pax by c. mid-2030s.
Sustainability – The “Route 2025” initiative
Sustainability is woven into the fabric of AIA’s operations. In the field of ESG practices, AIA is very well positioned for the future, having established robust governance and risk management frameworks; the company adheres to the UN SDG principles and is a member of the Business Integrity Forum of Transparency International, reporting in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative standards.
AIA has always been walking the path of environmental responsibility, often adopting processes beyond compliance. An active contributor to the voluntary programme for the Management & Reduction of Airport Carbon Emissions (Airport Carbon Accreditation) of the Airports International Council of Europe (ACI Europe) since its inception, AIA has been carbon neutral since 2016 and aims to be among the net zero frontrunners in the aviation industry globally, contributing to the prosperity of the region in which it operates, and incorporating people and the environment in the heart of processes and decision-making. In 2023 AIA was certified at stage 4+ “Transition” of the programme, a certification resulting from a series of actions, namely, the company’s commitment to net zero carbon emissions, the calculation of emissions from more sources and the drafting of a Third-Party action plan with targets and measures to reduce their emissions.
The Roadmap to net zero carbon emissions
In 2019, Athens International Airport undertook an ambitious, yet feasible, goal; Athens International Airport committed to implementing its initiative “ROUTE 2025”, thus achieving, well ahead of the target set by Europe’s airports for 2050, net zero carbon emissions by consuming only clean, renewable electricity, that will be exclusively produced on airport premises, and in addition, zeroing out its carbon emissions from fuel consumption (natural gas, diesel, etc.).
Moreover, in April 2023, AIA inaugurated the largest self-producing photovoltaic facility in Greece, an investment of a significant footprint strengthening the identity of Athens as a sustainable destination. The 16-megawatt photovoltaic park is already producing approximately 45% of the electricity the airport company consumes on an annual basis. “Translating” the electricity produced annually, approximately 27,500 megawatt-hours, it is equivalent to the consumption of 6,650 households.
Altogether with the airport’s first 8 MW photovoltaic park – in operation since 2011 – and combined with the next phase of the project (estimated to be an additional 35.5MW installation scheduled for completion by 2025), Athens International Airport will have secured the production of all the electricity it needs on an annual basis through 2046 (airport concession), maximizing self-consumption through the use of battery storage.
Heading towards the attainment of its ambitious “Route 2025” initiative, AIA’s dynamic sustainable development strategy and environmental projects correspond to a total investment in the order of approximately 100 million Euro.
A Major Development
A pivotal development in AIA’s journey was its listing on the Athens Stock Exchange in February 2024, a milestone that not only underscored the airport’s financial robustness and model resilience, but also reflected the investment community’s confidence in its growth trajectory and strategic initiatives.
Caring for more…
Looking ahead, Athens International Airport continues to evolve, totally committed to keep enhancing the passenger experience, embracing technological innovations and enhancements, and fostering community engagement. Conscious of its nature as a crossroads for people and cultures, the airport has a passion for culture, as well. With a multitude of cultural projects in its premises – even with an airport Museum of antiquities and a rotation of art exhibitions – Athens International Airport reflects its dedication to being more than a transit point, caring to be an ever-evolving place where journeys begin, people connect, and stories unfold.
