The Airport Operators Association (AOA) is the

trade association A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific Industry (economics), industry. An industry tra ...

representing the interests of UK

airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surfa ...

s and the principal body engaged with the

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and regulatory authorities on airport issues, focused on sustainable growth. The AOA represents over 50 UK airports and general aviation airfields.

History

The AOA was formed in 1934 as the Aerodrome Owners' Association. On 17 April 1990 it was renamed the Airport Operators Association.

Structure

It represents over 50 airports, and around 160 companies and organizations which do not own airports but operate in the

aviation Aviation includes the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ''Aircraft'' includes fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as lighter-than-air craft such as hot ...

industry.

Function

The AOA is the organization which advocates on behalf of

UK airports This list of airports in the United Kingdom is a partial list of public active aerodromes (airports and airfields) in the UK and the British Crown Dependencies. Most private airfields are not listed. For a list ranked by volume of traffic, see B ...

, negotiating with the

and regulatory authorities to pursue policy outcomes that support

sustainable growth Sustainable development is an organizing principle for meeting human development goals while also sustaining the ability of natural systems to provide the natural resources and ecosystem services on which the economy and society depend. The d ...

in the aviation sector. The AOA advocates for policies such as an end to increases in

Air Passenger Duty Air Passenger Duty (APD) is an excise duty which is charged on the carriage of passengers flying from a United Kingdom or Isle of Man airport on an aircraft that has an authorised take-off weight of more than 5.7 tonnes or more than twenty sea ...

(APD). It is an active member of the A Fair Tax on Flying campaign, a coalition of more than 30 travel and aviation organisations, including airlines, airports, trade associations and destinations who believe that APD is too high. The AOA is also a member of Sustainable Aviation, a coalition of the UK's airports, airlines, aircraft and engine manufacturers, and air traffic management providers, launched in 2005 to influence sustainable aviation policy: for example, dealing with carbon emissions, noise and local impacts around airports. Its trade journal is called the ''"Airport Operator"'' and is published three times a year. The AOA organises several events throughout the year, including an annual dinner, an Annual Conference, a summer reception, and conferences on the environment, security and operations, and safety. It sponsors UK Airports Safety Week each year.

References

External links

AOA

A Fair Tax on Flying

Sustainable Aviation
{{authority control Aviation organisations based in the United Kingdom Organisations based in the City of Westminster Organizations established in 1934 Airports in the United Kingdom Airport operators