ATLANTA, GA–(Marketwire – July 13, 2010) –  For the eighth year in a row, the Air Transport Research Society (ATRS) has recognized Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport’s world leadership in airport efficiency. The Global Airport Efficiency Excellence Award is a reflection of Hartsfield-Jackson’s productivity, efficiency and low costs, including the lowest passenger costs for the airlines.

The award, based on data compiled by the ATRS Global Airport Benchmarking Task Force, was announced July 7 at the 14^th annual ATRS World Conference in Porto, Portugal.

The ATRS is the largest network of aviation academic researchers in the world and is part of the World Conference on Transport Research Society. The nonprofit organization uses cutting-edge research to understand airports’ best practices.

A goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased assessment and comparison of airport performance based on more than 30 measures in categories such as productivity and efficiency, unit cost competitiveness, aviation user charge levels, financial performance and customer service. The study covered more than 150 airports and airport groups worldwide.

Hartsfield-Jackson earned the ATRS Global Airport Efficiency Excellence Award in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. The Airport won the ATRS’s North American award in 2005. For more information, go to www.atrsworld.org.

Hartsfield-Jackson recently has received several accolades, including Airports Council International-North America’s 2009 Concessions Person of the Year (director of Concessions) and Best Convenience Retail Program, large airport category; Airport Revenue News magazine’s Best Concessions Management Team; Air Cargo World magazine’s Award of Excellence for best North American cargo operations in its category (2009 and 2010); and Air Cargo Week‘s World Air Cargo Award for Airport of the Year (2009 and 2010).

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
 Hartsfield-Jackson is the world’s busiest airport, serving more than 88 million passengers annually with nonstop service to 156 U.S. destinations and more than 80 international destinations in 50 countries. The Airport is a frequent recipient of awards of excellence for concessions, operations, architectural engineering and construction — including being named the World’s Most Efficient Airport in 2010 by the Air Transport Research Society (for more information, go to www.atrsworld.org). It is undergoing $6 billion-plus in capital improvements, which include a new, energy-efficient rental car center; a new, 12-gate international terminal; and aesthetic and functional upgrades to its concourses, people movers and parking services. For more information, go to www.atlanta-airport.com. Check out the Airport’s YouTube channel by visiting www.youtube.com/AtlantaHartsfield, and become a fan on Facebook.