DGAP-News: Flughafen Wien AG: Successful start of Skylink operations
(firmenpresse) - DGAP-News: Flughafen Wien AG / Key word(s): Miscellaneous
Flughafen Wien AG: Successful start of Skylink operations
05.06.2012 / 10:45
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* First 10,000 passengers handled in new 'Check-in 3'
* From check-in to security controls and boarding: all systems basically
functioning as planned
* Old arrivals hall now closed, all passengers arriving in the new terminal
* Renovation of Terminal 1 to start at the end of June 2012
The terminal extension Skylink ('Check-in 3') has been in operation since
this morning, and all systems are basically functioning as planned. The
morning peak hour, the first real test, was easily mastered: 116 flights
with roughly 10,000 passengers had been handled by 10:00 am, and today's
schedule calls for 440 flights with almost 37,000 travellers.
In the early morning hours - at 4.45 am, the first flight (OS 9542), an
Austrian Airlines Boeing 737-800 from Hurghada, docked at the pier of the
new terminal. The first departing flight took off at 5.25 am (OS 9123) for
Karpathos. The first arriving and departing passengers were personally
welcomed by the Management Board of Flughafen Wien AG, Julian Jäger (COO)
and Günther Ofner (CFO). The first departing passengers, Adele H. and Hanna
P., two young Prague residents, with their daughters Julia and Magdalena
also received a gift in the form of a shopping voucher. After a trial
phase, when interim adjustments can be made, the official opening of the
new terminal will take place on 21 June 2012. Modifications will, of
course, also be made after that time to continuously improve functionality
and convenience at Vienna Airport.
'Today is a great day for Flughafen Wien. With this terminal, Vienna
Airport is entering a new era. I would like to thank the Management Board
and the entire team for bringing this difficult project to a successful
conclusion. The successful start of operations is also a result of the
future-oriented course the company has taken under its new management',
commented Erwin Hameseder, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Flughafen
Wien AG.
'When you start operations with complex machinery like an airport terminal,
you are always walking on thin ice', summarised Julian Jäger, 'and that's
why we are extremely pleased over the smooth functioning of nearly all
systems. All in all, we can say the start-up was a success'. CFO Günther
Ofner is also pleased with the results: 'The tension of the past weeks has
now given way to satisfaction and relief. The schedule was met and costs
are under control. However, we did have a few nervous minutes - for
example, with a two-hour power outage during the first peak period test.'
Both members of the Management Board cited the enormous team spirit as a
success factor: 'Without the expert project management by Norbert Steiner
starting in 2009 and the substantial commitment of all involved employees,
this would not have been possible. We would like to thank all these men and
women for their efforts'.
In the future, roughly 60% of all passengers will be handled in the new
terminal.
Airport personnel will be distributing handy orientation plans to
help the first travellers find their way through the terminal. Arriving
passengers were also greeted warmly with a Viennese waltz in the new
arrivals hall that provided an opportunity for a short dance.
Successful overnight relocation
The changeover from the old to the new terminal was largely problem-free:
after the completion of check-in procedures in the old building, the last
Austrian Airlines equipment and airport operating units were transferred to
the new departure hall. All systems - including the IT infrastructure,
check-in and handling programmes as well as security control equipment -
were then tested one last time. Hundreds of Flughafen Wien and Austrian
Airlines employees worked throughout the night to make today's transfer and
operational start-up possible. Only final optimisation steps remain to make
operations in the terminal even better and to prepare for a further
increase in the number of passengers during the upcoming holiday season.
New central arrivals hall for all travellers at Vienna Airport
The old arrivals hall will be closed as of today. All passengers will enter
through the arrivals hall in the new terminal and collect their baggage at
one of the ten carousels. Passengers disembarking in Pier East, Pier West
or an open aircraft position will also be directed to the new central
arrivals hall. This area contains numerous shops and gastronomy facilities,
such as a Spar Gourmet supermarket, which are also available to
non-travellers. The arrivals hall provides directs access to the City
Airport Train (CAT), the rapid transit railway, car park no. 4, short-term
parking area K3 and the bus station.
Intensive preparations: training for 2,800 employees at the airport
Today's opening was preceded by a long preparation phase: the major
components, such as baggage sorting equipment and security systems, were
readied for operation and tested over a period of many years. In four-month
trials with 3,200 test passengers, all terminal processes were analysed,
over 1,700 arrivals and departures were simulated and nearly 85,000 pieces
of baggage were checked in. More than 2,800 employees of Flughafen Wien and
its partners, including airlines, public authorities and emergency service
organisations, were trained to use the new terminal facilities.
New shopping and gastronomy offering: gourmet restaurants and exclusive
wine bars
After checking in, all passengers departing from the new terminal will pass
through a central security zone with 15 control lines. The corridor then
leads through an expansive shopping and gastronomy area with an offering
that ranges from the Asian gourmet cuisine of Austria's star chef Wini
Brugger in the 'Indochine Light' to fine wines in the 'SkyWineLounge' and
'DeCanto' wine bars and a relaxed coffeehouse atmosphere in the 'Meinl
Foodcourt' and 'CafféRitazza'. In this area travellers will also find
boutiques with well-known international brands like Lagerfeld, Dolce&Gabbana, Thomas Sabo and many more. The new terminal doubles the retail and
gastronomy space at Vienna Airport to over 19,000 m².
Multimedia installations by Ars Electronica and family lounges
The pier with the new F and G Gates is located on the rear side of the
shopping and gastronomy zone. Here, Vienna Airport has introduced a number
of innovative services: new seating furniture was designed especially for
the waiting areas - for example, 'laptop chairs' with electrical
connections and visual protection, where passengers can surf undisturbed
through the Internet with their notebooks in Vienna Airport's free WLAN.
Special 'Family Lounges' provide entertaining opportunities for the
youngest travellers to pass the time up to departure.
Travel and the time people spend at airports are also the subject of
spectacular multimedia installations by the well-known Ars Electronica: at
six stations visitors can experience new travel perspectives in various
time dimensions: landscapes of letters move across oversized
LCD screens and change interactively when passengers walk through boarding
card controls. Large stylised 'nodes' on numerous screens show the
departures and arrivals at Vienna Airport in real time, and the 'Last Clock
'installation visualises live pictures of the happenings at the airport
over 24 hours in a circular form. Passengers can see these and other works
by Ars Electronica at the check-in level and in the F and G Gate areas.
Flughafen Wien also uses this installation as an advertising medium for
half the available time.
New terminal designations and additional Gates F and G
In order to provide a better overview, designations at the airport were
changed to accommodate the expansion of the terminal area by 150,000 m².
Vienna Airport now has four check-in areas: Check-in 1 - counters 159-199
(former Terminal 1), Check-in 1A - counters 111-139 (former Terminal 1A),
Check-in 2 - counters 201-299 (former Terminal 2) and Check-in 3 - counters
301-399 (new Terminal). Check-in procedures for all carriers handled by
Austrian Airlines will now take place in Check-in 3. With only a few
exceptions (Turkish Airlines and Brussels Airlines), all Star Alliance
flights will use the new terminal.
New additions are the F and G Gate areas, which will handle nearly all
Austrian Airlines departures. Exceptions are the long-haul flights to the
USA, which will continue to depart from the D Gates because current
regulations require closed gates and the additional control of travel
documents.
Modernisation of older areas: renovation of 'Check-in 1' to start in June
2012
Following the opening of the new terminal, Flughafen Wien will now start to
renovate and modernise the current terminal facilities. Work started at the
end of June 2012 to revitalise the old Terminal 1 ('Check-in 1'). However,
the shopping arcade and car park 3 will still be available to passengers.
Construction is scheduled for completion by the end of 2012, when Air
Berlin and NIKI will relocate to the redesigned terminal. Work will then
begin on the old Terminal 2 ('Check-in 2').
Information on the changes at Vienna Airport also available online
Detailed information on the changes taking place at Vienna Airport with the
opening of the new terminal is also available on the Flughafen Wien
homepage under www.viennaairport.com. Among others, this information shows
the check-in areas used by the various airlines and the check-in counters
for individual flights as well as layout plans with details on the shops
and restaurants, lounges and services provided at Vienna Airport.
Contact:
Judit Helenyi
Flughafen Wien AG
Investor Relations
Tel: +43 1 7007/23126
e-mail: j.helenyi(at)viennaairport.com
Mario Santi
Flughafen Wien AG
Investor Relations
Tel: +43 1 7007/22826
e-mail: m.santi(at)viennaairport.com
End of Corporate News
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05.06.2012 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a
company of EquityStory AG.
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Language: English
Company: Flughafen Wien AG
Postfach 1
1300 Wien-Flughafen
Austria
Phone: +43-1-7007/22826
Fax: +43-1-7007/23806
E-mail: investor-relations(at)viennaairport.com
Internet: http://www.viennaairport.com
ISIN: AT0000911805
WKN: 884216
Indices: ATX Prime
Listed: Freiverkehr in Berlin, München, Stuttgart; Open Market in
Frankfurt; London, Wien (Amtlicher Handel / Official
Market)
End of News DGAP News-Service
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