March 29, 2024 6:04 AM
Search
Close this search box.
Share this post:

2015 Routes Europe names marketing award winner

During the Networking Evening at Castle Fraser in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, on April 13, Brussels Airport was named the overall winner of the Europe heat of the 2015 Routes Marketing Awards.

Around 1,100 aviation professionals gathered to witness the presentation of the awards and to take part in this year’s Routes Europe – the leading route development event for the European region.

“After winning the top award at World Routes in Chicago last year, it is a great endorsement of our strategy that we are here just six months later being recognized in the European market,” said Léon Verhallen, head of aviation marketing, Brussels Airport.

“It has been a strong year for Brussels Airport, and the team have worked hard to ensure we are supporting our airline partners, whether small regional carriers, medium-sized operators or long-haul airlines,” he added.

The annual Routes Marketing Awards are highly regarded as the most prestigious awards in the industry as they are voted for and judged by the airline network planning community. They provide the airline community with the chance to have their say, regarding the airport or tourism authority they think has provided the best overall services to them relating to route development and marketing over the past year, to establish new or maintain and develop existing routes.

Brussels Airport was also named as the winner in the over 20 million passengers category. In the 4-20 million passengers category Athens International Airport was ranked top. The under 4 million passengers award went to City Airport Bremen for the second consecutive year. Shortlisted for the first time, Innovation Norway won the destination category.

“Brussels Airport really hit it out of the park this year,” commented Katie Bland, director Routes, UBM EMEA. “Last year, Brussels won in the under 20 million passengers category, but they have been so successful in attracting new airlines and growing existing ones that they are now competing in the over 20 million passengers category. With an incredible 15 percent passenger growth in 2014, they fared better than any other large Western or Central European airport. What impressed the judges was how the team managed to raise the bar in all areas: successful airline marketing, elaborate passenger marketing across borders, improved accessibility and infrastructure, and better services for passengers on site. The result: 14 new destinations since last year.”

The shortlisted finalists were nominated by airline network planners, before a respected panel of judges made up of senior members of the airline network planning community from the region reviewed the lists and submissions from the nominated airports in order to determine the winners.

The panel consisted of the following judges:

  • Jonathan Keenan, commercial development manager, British Airways LCY
  • Andrew Hodges, head of network and scheduling, easyJet
  • David Neill, Head of Planning, Jet2.com
  • Rikke Christensen, Head of Network Planning, Finnair

The awards will be continued throughout the year at all other Routes events, culminating at World Routes in Durban this September. The overall winner of each of Regional Award will be automatically short-listed for the World Routes Awards. Brussels Airport joins Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Tourism Australia, which were recently announced as overall winners of the Americas and Asia heats respectively.

The full list of companies shortlisted under each award category:

Over 20 Million Passengers

Brussels Airport – Winner & Overall Winner

Munich Airport – Highly Commended

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol – Highly Commended

ICF Airports Antalya

Rome FCO Airport

4 – 20 Million Passengers

Athens International Airport – Winner

Cologne Bonn Airport – Highly Commended

Bordeaux Airport

Geneva Airport

Prague Airport

Under 4 Million Passengers

City Airport Bremen – Winner

Billund Airport – Highly Commended

Antwerp International Airport

Doncaster Sheffield Airport

Malmö Airport

Destination Marketing Award

Innovation Norway – Winner

Turismo de Tenerife – Highly Commended

Algarve Promotion Bureau

Montpellier Tourist Board

Valencia Tourism

  • Superior Logistics

Related Stories

Trending Now

  • Employco
  • Full Circle Events Sidebar Ad