(SINGAPORE) San Francisco International Airport was awarded an Eagle Award by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in recognition of outstanding performance in providing value for money, continuous improvement, and a high level of airline customer satisfaction. The award was presented at IATA's 60th Annual General Meeting and World Air Summit in Singapore on 7 June 2004 by Dr C. K. Cheong, the Chairman of the independent Eagle Award Panel.
Beginning with the dot.com crash, and followed in close succession by September 11, SARS and the war in Iraq, San Francisco International Airport has faced the same challenges as its airline customers.
"San Francisco's efforts were in lock-step with the airlines. The airport cut costs and achieved efficiency gains that allowed it to lower its charges and maintain profitability. They have done exactly what we ask of all our industry partners and have great results to show for it," said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA Director General and CEO.
Additionally, the Eagle Award Panel took special note of the cooperative spirit that exists between the airport and its users and its commitment to funding capital expenditures through reserves and ongoing revenues. Moreover, the "single-till" approach to all revenues strengthens the development of the airport's hub functions by keeping the cost of operations low.
"The management of San Francisco Airport is a model of the spirit of partnership that our industry needs. We salute San Francisco's efforts and welcome it to join the ranks of previous winners who have contributed significantly to the industry's development. Collectively, the Eagle Award winners set the benchmarks for others to achieve," said Bisignani.
The Eagle Award Panel chose not to award an Eagle to an Air Navigation Service provider this year in view of the fact that much more still needs to be done to meet the needs of the air transport industry. However, the Panel decided to give honourable mentions to Austro Control (Austria) and the ANS Provider of the Czech Republic. Both organizations are in the process of making significant improvements on cost-efficiency. The Panel and IATA strongly encourage them to continue their efforts.
Notes for Editors
Previous Eagle Award Winners are:
