Eagle Awards for DGAC Chile and Vancouver Airport Authority -Honourable Mentions for Austro Control and Tocumen Airport, Panama-

VANCOUVER - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) recognised the outstanding achievements of the Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil (DGAC) de Chile and Vancouver Airport Authority with Eagle Awards.

The Eagle Awards honour airports and air navigation service providers (ANSPs) for outstanding performance in customer satisfaction, cost efficiency and continuous improvement. The awards were presented at IATA’s Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit taking place in Vancouver, Canada, based on the recommendations of the independent Eagle Award Panel.

“Today’s winners have one thing in common. They put the customer first, delivering value for money. Airlines and our customers pay a big bill for infrastructure—US$43.5 billion a year, or 11% of our costs. So it is critical that airports and ANSPs are transparent and consult with their customers to achieve both cost-efficiency and high service standards. I congratulate Vancouver Airport Authority and DGAC Chile for their great achievements,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

DGAC Chile: “DGAC communicates openly and promptly with its customers on its investments and improvements. And, in stark contrast to other ANSPs in the LATAM region and elsewhere, it has maintained competitive pricing with no increase in charges for the past five years. It is a tribute to DGAC that its airline customers strongly supported its candidature for the Eagle Award,” said Bisignani.

Vancouver Airport Authority (YVR): Despite a CAD 1 billion capital expansion programme, YVR froze its aeronautical rates at the 2007 level until 2010. Throughout the expansion programme, YVR has been rigorous in engaging its customers in reviews of priorities and cost efficiency. And in 2007 the airport significantly lowered international landing charges, saving airlines over CAD 6 million.

“We congratulate Vancouver Airport Authority on its award. Its cost control efforts, combined with a reduction in Crown Rents, have enabled the airport to reduce its charges, while improving profitability. The Canadian Government should take careful note of the YVR example and abolish Crown Rent altogether to build an even more competitive air transport sector,” said Bisignani.

Honourable Mentions: IATA gave two honourable mentions. Tocumen Airport in Panama was recognised for its open consultation with airlines, its competitive charges and its good relationships with its airline customers. And Austro Control was also given an honourable mention for strong improvements in cost efficiency since 2003. It has developed a pioneering industry partnership agreement that forms the basis of a fully integrated customer-supplier planning process over five years.

“Congratulations to all the Eagle Award winners. You continue to set the standards for performance, cost efficiency and continuous improvements for others to achieve,” said Bisignani.

Editors Notes:

Dr Assad Kotaite, Chairman of the independent Eagle Awards Panel, presented the Eagle Awards at IATA’s 63rd Annual General Meeting and World Air Summit in Vancouver on 4 June 2007. Other Panel members are:

• Sir Michael Hodgkinson, Chairman of Post Office Limited, former Chairman of BAA
• Keith Williams, Chairman of the EUROCONTROL Performance Review Commission
• The financial adviser, Chris Tarry
• Sir Rod Eddington, former CEO of British Airways
• Leo Mullin, former CEO of Delta Airlines

The Eagle Awards Panel has highlighted its goal of encouraging good performance across the industry. Consequently, from 2008, the criteria for Eagle Awards will broaden to include, in addition to current performance, recognition of “most-improved” airports and ANSPs. Additionally, the Panel will consider nominations in the context of their performance against regional standards as well as global comparisons.

Previous Eagle Award Winners are:

For further information please contact:

• Corporate Communications, IATA
  +41 22 770 2967 (Geneva time zone)
  + 41 79 289 5005 (Vancouver time zone)
  +1 604 639 4930 (Vancouver Media Room)
  corpcomms@iata.org
• Pablo Ortega Canelo, DGAC Chile
  + 56 2439 2503
  portega@dgac.cl
• Ralph Eastman, Vancouver Airport Authority
  +1 60 4276 6044
  ralph_eastman@yvr.ca