Bristol Airport has jointly won the Eco-Innovation Award at the Annual ACI EUROPE Best Airport Awards.
The awards recognise excellence and outstanding achievement across the entire portfolio of airport activities and Bristol shared the eco award with iGA Istanbul Grand Airport.
Bristol Airport was honoured for its low emission turnaround trial with easyJet which saw them achieve close to zero emission aircraft turnarounds through the use of electric powered ground equipment instead of diesel.
The initiative was part a collaboration between easyJet and Bristol Airport to decarbonise ground operations at the airport. The trial results have shown a 97% reduction in CO2 emissions using the daily data produced throughout one month.
Switching to electric ground equipment including steps, baggage trollies, belt loaders and ground power units to service the aircraft between flights was one of a number of initiatives focused on reducing emissions. It formed part of a wider programme of cutting-edge developments and operational efficiency initiatives.
Simon Earles, Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Director, Bristol Airport said: “We are delighted to be recognised by ACI and winning the Eco-Innovation award. This award supports our long-term sustainability strategy and is another example of demonstrating our commitment to addressing climate change.
“This award is such an incredible achievement and is recognition to the teams and partners collaborating and making a significance change to aircraft ground operations. The teams at easyJet, Bristol Airport and our partners including DHL, TCR, ITW, Up and Away, worked tirelessly to get this initiative from inception to reality and reduced aircraft turnaround emissions.
“I am extremely proud of our efforts, and we are receiving this award on behalf of all teams involved. It’s another step on our way to becoming one of the UK’s most sustainable airports.
“Sustainability is at the heart of Bristol Airport and everyone’s collective involvement and is testament to our teams commitment and recognition in managing, reducing and offsetting carbon dioxide emissions under our control.”
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