Sea-Tac Airport Receives Best Overall Concessions Program Award from Airport Revenue News

Award is Third of its kind for Sea-Tac Concessions

For the third time in the last 18 months, the concessions program at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has been honored for a major award. Airport Revenue News (ARN) announced Sea-Tac Airport as the Best Overall Concessions Program in the large airport division as part of the prestigious Best Airport & Concessionaire Awards.

Previously, Sea-Tac Airport won the 2007 Richard Griesbach Overall Award of Excellence from Airports Council International for the best concessions program in North America and last year won ARN’s Best Concessions Program Design for large airports.

“It is very satisfying to be recognized by our peers,” said Sea-Tac Airport Managing Director Mark Reis. “Our revitalized program has been up and running for some time so this recognition is not just because Sea-Tac concessions are the ‘newest thing.’"

Twenty-four other airports were nominated for the award which recognizes the program which “incorporates all facets of program excellence: great customer service, attractive storefronts, good mix of shops, quality food services and overall high standards.”

“We are pleased that the results are a good reflection of who the industry believes are the best,” says Pauline Armbrust, president and chief executive officer of Armbrust Aviation Group, the publisher of ARN. “We had more than 150 participants voting and engaged a third-party programmer to develop the online process. I believe this is the fairest and most thorough process we’ve ever conducted.”

In addition, concessionaire Vino Volo was honored in multiple categories including Best Airport Restaurant Design for its Sea-Tac location. Vino Volo also won five other awards in the small retailer division: Retailer with Highest Regard for Customer Service, Best Overall Retailer, Food Operator with the Highest Regard for Customer Service, Best Food & Beverage Brand Operator, and Best Food & Beverage Operator.

About Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Operated by the Port of Seattle, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA, KSEA) is ranked as the 18th largest U.S. airport, serving more than 31.2 million passengers in 2008. With a regional economic impact of more than $13.2 billion in business revenue, Sea-Tac generates more than 161,000 jobs (89,902 direct jobs) representing more than $2.2 billion in direct earnings and $412.4 million in state and local taxes. Forty-one airlines serve 76 non-stop domestic destinations and 22 international cities.