Airport Revenue News (ARN) announced the 2009 winners of its prestigious Best Airport & Concessionaire Awards at its annual Airport Revenue Conference & Exhibition, held last week in Orlando, Fla. ARN also added five new categories to the awards program. The results will be published in ARN’s April 2009 issue.
The nominating and judging processes for the 2009 awards underwent dramatic change. Rather than relying on a panel of 15-20 judges as in years past, the outreach efforts were broadened to include all interested industry participants. The process was conducted entirely online and resulted in unprecedented industry participation.
“We are pleased that the results are a good reflection of who the industry believes are the best,” says Pauline Armbrust, president and chief executive officer of Armbrust Aviation Group, the publisher of ARN. “We had more than 150 participants voting and engaged a third-party programmer to develop the online process. I believe this is the fairest and most thorough process we’ve ever conducted.”
ARN also created the Frequent Traveler Awards. Readers of travel magazine Inside Flyer were polled on their favorite food and beverage, retail, and news and gift stores, as well as their favorite airports for retail and food and beverage. The readers of the magazine are frequent fliers who average 33 domestic flights a year.
Below are the 2009 winners of ARN’s Best Airport & Concessionaire Awards and Frequent Traveler Awards.
Winners of ARN’s 2009 Best Airport Concessions Awards
AIRPORTS
Large Airport Division
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport with the Best Concessions Program Design
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport with the Best Customer Service
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport with the Best Concessions Management Team
John F. Kennedy International Airport with the Most Unique Services
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport with the Best Overall Concessions Program
Toronto Pearson International Airport with the Best Overall Concessions Program
Medium Airport Division
Indianapolis International Airport with the Best Concessions Program Design
Nashville International Airport with the Best Customer Service
Indianapolis International Airport with the Best Concessions Management Team
Nashville International Airport with the Best Concessions Management Team
San Antonio International Airport with the Best Concessions Management Team
Nashville International Airport with the Most Unique Services
Indianapolis International Airport with the Best Overall Concessions Program
Small Airport Division
Albuquerque International Sunport Airport with the Best Concessions Program Design
Dallas Love Field Airport with the Best Customer Service
El Paso International Airport with the Best Customer Service
Halifax International Airport with the Best Concessions Management Team
Halifax International Airport with the Most Unique Services
Jacksonville International Airport with the Most Unique Services (two-way tie)
Jacksonville International Airport with the Best Overall Concessions Program
Single Terminal Division
Newark Liberty International – Terminal C Terminal with the Best Concessions Program Design, Terminal with the Best Customer Service, Terminal with the Best Concessions Management Team, Terminal with the Most Unique Services, and Terminal with the Best Overall Concessions Program
Dallas/Fort Worth International – Terminal D Terminal with the Best Overall Concessions Program (two-way tie)
CONCESSIONAIRES
LARGE RETAILER DIVISION
The Hudson Group Best New Specialty Retail Concept (for Papyrus), Best News & Gift Operator
The Paradies Shops Retailer with the Highest Regard for Customer Service, Best Retail Store Design (for Bass Pro Shops – IAH Terminal C), Best Retail Specialty Brand Operator (for Brooks Brothers), and Best Overall Retailer.
HMSHost Best New Food & Beverage Concept (for Todd English’s Bonfire Grill), Food Operator with the Highest Regard for Customer Service, Best Airport Restaurant Design (for Todd English’s Bonfire Grill-JFK Terminal 2), and Best Overall Food & Beverage Operator.
OTG Management Best Food & Beverage Brand Operator
Taxco Sterling Best DBE Operator
SMALL RETAILER DIVISION
Techshowcase (by Airport Wireless) Best New Specialty Retail Concept
Natalie’s Candy – SAT Terminal 1 Best Airport Retail Store Design
Vino Volo Retailer with Highest Regard for Customer Service, Best Overall Retailer, Food Operator with the Highest Regard for Customer Service, Best Airport Restaurant Design (SEA), Best Food & Beverage Brand Operator, Best Food & Beverage Operator.
NewsLink Best News & Gift Operator
ZoomSystems Best Specialty Retail Brand Operator
UFood Best New Food & Beverage Concept
Winners of ARN’s 2009 Frequent Traveler Awards
Legal Sea Foods Favorite Airport Restaurant
Powell’s Books (PDX) Favorite Retail Store
Hudson News (ORD) Favorite News & Gift Store
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport with the Best Retail Stores
Orlando International Airport with the Best Retail Stores
San Francisco International Airport with the Best Restaurants
