ACE Awards 2019: Top airports, carriers chosen for Air Cargo Excellence

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

So what has happened over the past year to lead to such a shake-up across the size categories? Outside of the Large Airport category, where the top airports improved scores across the Performance, Value and Facilities metrics, overall ratings among Medium-sized and Small airports unfortunately declined.

Many of the sharpest declines appear in the Performance metric, with top airports in the two smaller size categories all receiving lower marks for Performance in 2019 compared to last year. While its Performance score declined slightly from 2018 to this year, at 121 points, UIO received this year’s highest Performance score among airports and carriers of all sizes.

In addition to the eight ACE winners, only four other airports – Dubai International (DXB), Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS), Miami International (MIA) and Tokyo Narita (NRT) – received Certificates of Excellence, with DXB scoring 107, enough to land an Award in almost any other category. Many of this year’s Certificate winners are investing in infrastructure expansions that could land them a top ACE spot next year.

UIO’s Larrea said Quito’s Mariscal Sucre Airport (UIO) is forecasting growth for 2019 of about 7 percent, and planning several expansion projects for the year, “particularly in the extension of the 28 cargo docks on our landside, as well as with the reconfiguration of the taxiway on the airside,” Larrea said.

Despite the chill winds blowing across the air cargo landscape in early 2019, some cargo leaders remain upbeat. “In 2018, Delta Cargo has seen double-digit growth,” said Delta Cargo’s Cole. “Looking ahead to 2019, there is general optimism in the industry, and we expect this to continue.”

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