The Association
The Austrian Airports Association (The Working Group of Austrian Commercial Airports or AOEV) is the interest group representing the regional airports in Austria. The members of the association are the commercial airports of Graz, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Linz, Salzburg and Vienna on a management and an operational level.
The AOEV’s objective is to promote cross-company collaboration among Austria’s commercial airports. The organisation intensifies the exchange of knowledge and experience among the member airports and their specialist staff involved in operational areas such as winter services, security, technical equipment and business processes.
With respect to issues of relevance to the airports, the AOEV strives to inform crucial stakeholders about the viewpoints held by the airports with respect to the subject areas of safety and security, environment, transport policy and regional significance. The AOEV also evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of recommended solutions and provides useful basic information based on analyses and strategic concepts in order to facilitate the decision-making process. As the representative of the interests shared by Austria’s commercial airports, the AOEV is also an important dialogue partner for public authorities and professional associations.
History
The Austrian Airports Association (Working Group of Austrian Commercial Airports or AOEV) was founded on July 21, 1955. Flight captain Rudolf Hiller at Vienna Airport, Senior Municipal Councillor Josef Seitlinger, Linz Airport and Senate Councillor Josef Brenner, Salzburg Airport were the proponents of the association “The Working Group of Austrian Commercial Airports (AOEV)” which was registered on June 21, 1955 with the former Vienna Provincial Security Directorate. A positive decision formally approving the founding of the association was handed down on July 19, 1955.
The constituent general assembly of the members of the new association took place in Vienna on October 3, 1956. Captain Hiller was elected as the President, Mr. Donner from Graz Airport was named the Vice President and Mr. Moder was elected to serve as the General Secretary. Mr. Brenner from Salzburg Airport was chosen as a member of the Executive Committee.
Operating companies already existed for all commercial airports in Vienna as well as in the federal provinces at the time
the Austrian State Treaty was signed. The next logical step was to integrate them into a professional association within the
context of rebuilding the country’s aviation capabilities.
Austria’s neighbour Germany faced similar problems. A loose association arose in 1947/48 from the former Reich Association
of German Airports (to which Austrian airports necessarily belonged to in the years 1938-45). In 1950, this association became
the registered German Airports Association (Working Group of German Commercial Airports or ADV). The AOEV joined the ADV as
a corresponding member. The same status has been granted to the Swiss commercial airports.
Organisation
The AOEV operates as an association and consists of an Executive Committee, a General Secretariat and several working groups.
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee is elected every two years. At present, the committee consists of the following members:
General Secretariat
The General Secretariat manages the operative administration of the individual bodies of the association.
- General Secretary: Wolfgang GALLISTL
- Treasurer: Susanne VORDERLEITNER
Working groups
The association is subdivided into various working groups on an operational level. On the one hand, their task is to identify
potential synergies and leverage them (test operation of technical processes, joint use of specialised airport equipment).
At the same time, the groups are designed to ensure the regular and reciprocal exchange of information and know-how on important
operational airport-specific issues. The following topics are dealt with by the working groups: airport operations, business
administration and law, human resources, planning, construction and the environment, security and public relations.
The results of the work carried out by working groups are merged to the Executive Committee.