Dusseldorf. At the beginning of the year, Düsseldorf Airport invited numerous representatives from politics, business, the aviation industry, the neighborhood and the media to a festive New Year’s reception on Friday evening.
More than 800 top-class guests took the opportunity to get to know the new managing directors Lars Redeligx and Pradeep Pinakatt in the event location Station Airport with a panoramic view of the illuminated airport area. The events of an operationally very challenging year at the airport and the joy of the recovery in traffic were the focus of the evening.
This was also reflected in the welcome from Rolf Tups, Chairman of the Airport Supervisory Board: “The year 2022 was a year of multiple crises, but also a time of resilience and energy. Last year, the airport fought its way back out of the red numbers caused by Corona and welcomed over 16 million passengers. Throughout the industry, however, we have often thanked these passengers badly for their loyalty over the past year. The frustration, anger and amazement caused by hours of waiting in front of the security check and at check-in, missed flights and vacation days without luggage are an intolerable state of affairs. But we are looking ahead today – and I can assure you: Düsseldorf Airport will do everything in its power to ensure that this situation does not repeat itself in 2023.”
At their first official appearance, Lars Redeligx and Pradeep Pinakatt presented themselves as an open and approachable management duo with clear messages: “We are making the operational problems mentioned by Rolf Tups a top priority with our management team and are putting together a package of measures by the end of January to improve the passenger experience – together and in close cooperation with our partners – to play at the front again soon. It must be the goal of all of us to stand for the positive, emotional experience that one associates with a flight – anticipation of relaxation and adventure, curiosity about discoveries and encounters, joy at seeing loved ones again.” And further: “Driving, of course we also advance our strategic issues. Above all, the consistent implementation of measures to reduce CO2 emissions is decisive. Our goal is to operate Düsseldorf Airport in a CO2-neutral manner by 2035 at the latest. The important issue of further developing the airport into a mobility hub in the region is also at the top of the agenda.”
The new management then exchanged views with Mayor Dr. Stephen Keller, Dr. Charlotte Beissel, board member and labor director of Stadtwerke Düsseldorf, the CEO of Eurowings GmbH, Jens Bischof and the American Consul General Pauline Kao in a relaxed talk format. The Lord Mayor focused on the topics of networking and cooperation: “The past few years have not always been easy, but we have learned from the crises. I am pleased that the airport is willing to take on more responsibility and thus ensure passenger satisfaction even with high passenger volumes. At the same time; Together we are strong!
The complex air traffic system can only be managed together with everyone involved. So this reception is the ideal opportunity for fruitful dialogue in the coming year.”
The guest list included, in addition to those already mentioned: Mahmut Özdemir (Parliamentary State Secretary), Moritz Körner (Member of the European Parliament, General Secretary of the FDP North Rhine-Westphalia). Representatives of the aviation industry included Jens Ritter (CEO Lufthansa Airlines), Björn Walther (CFO Condor) and Oliver Lackmann (Chief Flight Operations Officer TUI Airline). Numerous politicians from the region such as Hans-Jürgen Petrauschke (district administrator Rhein-Kreis Neuss), Ursula Baum (mayor of the city of Kaarst), Christian Pakusch (mayor of Willich) and the mayors of the state capital Düsseldorf Josef Hinkel and Klaudia Zepuntke were there. Among the city’s daughters, Wolfram Nikolaus Diener (CEO of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH) and Julien Mounier (Chairman of the Stadwerke Düsseldorf) took part. In addition to Barbara Heuser (President of the Federal Police in St. Augustin), Andreas Schmitz (President of the IHK Düsseldorf), Gerhard Schroeder (Managing Director of AviAlliance and member of the Supervisory Board of Flughafen Düsseldorf GmbH), Raoul Spanger (Co-CEO Gebr. Heinemann), Daniel Seidl ( Managing Director Hollmann Presse GmbH) numerous other MPs and representatives of federal, state and local politics, the regional economy, from the consular corps and the aviation industry were represented.
