Smoothing the end-to-end journey is the goal for many an airport and Dortmund Airport has been investing to do just that.
“The airport service for passengers has been improved,” declares Guido Miletic, Dortmund’s general manager of marketing & sales.
“From autumn 2019 there will be a new gastronomy outlet in the security area. Some toilets have been modernised and we are improving the waiting situation during autumn/winter 2019-20 by protecting passengers from the weather and providing more toilets before check-in. For those coming by car, the drive to the airport has been improved; for those using the bus, the frequency from Dortmund station to the airport has been increased,” Miletic adds.
Passenger processing is not the only area being developed. “Dortmund Airport invests constantly in safety, sustainability and customer service. Our sustainability strategy includes retrofitting the ground vehicle fleet to e-mobility,” Miletic explains. “Since June 2019, three mobile e-passenger stairs are in use. Seven more will follow until 2022 and the lighting of the service roads and car parks were converted to LED lighting in 2019.” These lights use less energy and thus reduce the airport’s environmental footprint.
“To increase safety, a new video monitoring system was installed in 2019. The technology fully complies with data protection, the cameras have better resolution and reliability,” he reports.
At the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), customers are also being presented with enhanced facilities. According to Miletic, a modernised pilot preparation room, a new kitchen, new toilets and a meeting room will be available from spring 2020.
The developments around the airport are needed given the traffic growth at Dortmund. “In the coming Winter schedule, we will have 11 flights a week to Katowice Airport served by Ryanair’s new Buzz product. Over 2018 and 2019, we added 13 new destinations from Wizz Air and Eurowings,” the executive comments.
“That’s why in 2018 we were third among all German airports with regards to passenger growth; this year we are the fastest growing airport in Germany with a growth rate of 19.7% according to the latest figures released at the end of August,” he continues. “Our summer schedule for 2020 is not yet finalised, but we expect a number of new destinations and also increased frequencies.”
The airport is the gateway to Dortmund and the Ruhr area. And according to Miletic, whether you’re a football fan, nature lover, shopping-victim or culture enthusiast, Dortmund is the place for you. “Our city in the Ruhr Region thrills through its diversity. The hometown of BVB [Borussia Dortmund, one of Germany’s top football clubs] surprises not only with its huge devotion to football, but with a range of other pastimes. Culture lovers can visit the Museum of Art and Cultural History, the ‘Dortmunder U‘ or an exhibition about the world of work. Those looking for relaxation will feel comfortable on the ’Phoenix-See‘. And the Zeche Zollern offers great opportunities to get to know history of the region.”
The business side of Dortmund also makes it an important destination. “The city has 1,000 of the biggest companies in Germany located in the airport’s catchment area,” Miletic reports. Dortmund has nine twin cities – the oldest ‘twinning’, with Leeds in the UK, going back to 1949 – and trade and international relations are strong.
