Airports Company South Africa signs agreement with Munich Airport

OCT 27, 2015: Airports Company South Africa has signed a strategic Sister Airports Agreement with Munich Airport Group. Airports Company South Africa and Munich Airport Group have jointly agreed on areas of strategic co-operation and information sharing. The agreement will allow employees from each organisation to learn from each other’s knowledge, skills and unique regional experience.

According to Airports Council International (ACI), Munich International Airport is the second busiest airport in Germany in terms of passenger traffic after Frankfurt Airport, and the seventh busiest airport in Europe, handling 39.7 million passengers in 2014.

Munich International Airport is recognised globally as a centre of excellence in customer service and technology. It was the first airport in Europe to receive a five star rating from Skytrax, the UK-based specialist research and advisory firm dedicated to improving airline customer experience globally.

Munich International Airport has been successful in the development of an aerotropolis servicing 500 companies across various industries. Munich International Airport’s aerotropolis experience is invaluable to Airports Company South Africa as it works with the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality to develop O.R. Tambo International Airport into Africa’s first true aerotropolis.

“This agreement represents our aspirations of not only collaborating with the Airports Company South Africa in terms of expertise and skills, but to also build and cement a strong relationship with the company. This is just the beginning of a long and mutually beneficial journey between the two airports,” said Dr Michael Kerkloh.

Airports Company South Africa is currently planning construction to extend and align its runway at the Cape Town International Airport as well as a second mid-term field terminal at O.R. Tambo International Airport. Similarly, Munich International Airport will be embarking on the construction of its third runway and a mid-field terminal, due for completion in 2016. As such, both airport organisations stand to benefit as they learn from, and support each other during these critical expansions.

Munich Airport International has Sister Airports Agreements with a number of international airports, including; Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Changi International Airport in Singapore, and Beijing Airport. The partnership with Airports Company South Africa, is therefore the first agreement with an airport operator on the African continent.

Airports Company South Africa’s CEO, Bongani Maseko said, “There are a number of collaboration opportunities offered by this agreement with Munich Airport Group, especially in new customer service technologies and systems. Munich International Airport’s impressive history in successfully delivering world-leading aviation construction, technology and customer service projects will provide both the experience and insights crucial to laying the foundations of Africa’s first aerotropolis”.

“This agreement will usher in robust quality management systems for all aspects of the business while also strengthening our non-aeronautical services as we evolve to become a world-class airports management business” concludes Maseko.