Annual Report 2001 - Flughafen Wien

Communications
Challenges mastered after terror attacks, mediation process continues, award for best annual
report
___Communications at Vienna International Airport include activities common to all modern
corporations, but with added elements unique to airports. Our Communications Office is
often the initial contact point for events that have little direct relation to our business.
11 September 2001
___The events of 11 September provided a challenge for our communications team over a
period of many weeks. Under increasingly difficult conditions, we worked to satisfy the varied
demands of journalists and photographers on issues such as flight safety, terror prevention
and the effects of new security measures on passengers. Our highly popular airport tours,
which were attended by 33,187 visitors in 2001, were suspended for 44 days in the midst of
the high season following the implementation of a higher security level. The “anthrax alarm”,
which was triggered by baby powder discovered on a Sunday evening in October, represented
another major test for our team.
Mediation
___The fears and misgivings of neighbouring residents over our expansion plans – especially
with respect to the planned third runway – led us to start the most extensive mediation
process in Europe with 50 groups involved. In 2000 a three-member mediation team was
commissioned to manage this process. The mediation agreement was concluded during the
reporting year, thereby defining subjects, content, structures and rules for cooperation.
___Subjects handled by the mediation process are the current impact of airport operations,
major environmental projects and expansion plans for the airport. In addition to the mediation
forum, which includes all 50 parties, there is a working group comprised of 28 persons, a process
management group with 10 persons, and four working committees that cover the topics
of noise, development scenarios, ecology, and public relations. All protocols and documentation
for the process are published on the Website www.viemediation.at. Progress has been
presented at two press conferences and a public event, and through press releases. Interested
citizens receive a complimentary copy of our newsletter “viemediation.at”, which has a
circulation of 198,000 copies.
___Our mediation process is monitored by a scientific team from the Institute for Interdisciplinary
Research and Continuing Education in Klagenfurt. As external advisors in the area of
sustained development, we have commissioned the Research Centre at Seibersdorf. In
Spring 2002 the mediation forum will evaluate the overall progress of work and reach a joint
decision on the continuation of mediation proceedings.
“Annual Report Award” and silver “Venus”
___In September we received first prize in the “Austrian Annual Report Award” from the
business journal “trend”. In addition to high marks for content, jurors underscored the quality
of our graphic design. We were pleased to receive favourable notice in a number of international
publications. Our latest award for the 2000 annual report was the silver “Venus”,
which was presented in March 2002 by the Creative Club Austria for editorial conception and
design. It is particularly satisfying to receive public acknowledgement for the outstanding
work done by many people on this important visiting card for our Company.
For additional information, contact Dagmar Lang:
+43 1 7007 22103; e-mail: m@viennaairport.com
64 Communications
Annual Report 2001