Munich Airport establishes subsidiary for international consulting activities

Munich Airport’s operating company FMG has established a new subsidiary for its international activities called Munich Airport International (MAI). The German operator now has a tailor-made platform for handling international contracts in the areas of consulting, airport management and training.

Almost all of the business activities involved in the operation of an airport are covered by departments or subsidiaries of FMG including airport operations, IT, engineering, real estate services, facility management, fleet management, training, ground transportation services, rentals, hotels and catering, and retail.

FMG’s operational success as a full-service airport operating company and its expertise in commissioning new airports have made it a popular choice as a consultant in the aviation industry. The company’s international business division has provided tailor-made solutions at more than 50 airports around the globe, including Bangkok, Thailand; Quito, Ecuador; Madrid, Spain; Barcelona, Spain; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and Delhi, India.

Apart from airports, customers include governments, airlines, construction companies and various consultancies. At present, there are approximately 70 employees working in this business segment generating annual sales of around €10m (US$11.7m).

MAI’s service portfolio covers all aspects of airport and terminal planning, the commissioning of new facilities (operational readiness and airport transfer [ORAT]), operational planning and process optimization, profit and revenue optimization, airport privatization consulting, tailor-made training services and comprehensive airport management.

The FMG business model makes it possible to offer needs-based consulting services tailored to the individual customer. A medium-term goal will be to open sales offices for Asia, the Middle East and Central and South America.

Dr Ralf Gaffal, the managing director of MAI, said, “We want to steadily improve and expand our range of services and build on our global presence. With our future foreign sales offices, we will be able to respond more quickly and effectively to customer needs and the expectations of the market.

“To that end, we are also interested in cooperative arrangements with local strategic partners. This new approach will also enable us to gain quick access to the current growth markets.”

At present the experts from Munich Airport are involved in the management of airports in Palmerola, Honduras; Cairo, Egypt; and Taif, Saudi Arabia. Consulting services are being provided at such airports as Muscat, Oman; Abu Dhabi, UAE; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Quito, Ecuador; and Changi Airport in Singapore.