AirportSmart is a joint venture company founded by Aéroports de Paris, BAA plc and Copenhagen Airports and being used by an increasing number of other airport operating organisations. Together, these airports handle a total of 180 million passengers per annum worldwide and operate several airports in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. They have a combined annual purchasing power of US$3billion; in addition to this, BAA is managing development of Heathrow Terminal 5 ('T5') which is one of the largest construction projects in Europe.

AirportSmart is a private limited company registered in England at 29 Warwick Road, Coventry, CV1 2ES (Company Number 4333403 and VAT number GB 788 2323 00). In September 2002, AirportSmart notified the European Commission seeking Negative Clearance and / or Individual Exemption to Article 81(1) and 81(3) of the Competition Act. The Notification Processed reached its expiry date in May 2004 without the Commission considering AirportSmart a priority case. AirportSmart has thus been set-up to facilitate the contracting of Suppliers with Buyers across the airport operating sector and the management of joint purchasing arrangements. AirportSmart will operate independently of its founding investors.

Aéroports de Paris operates Charles de Gaulle and Orly and Le Bourget airports in Paris as well as other airports in France. It also holds a 10% stake in Beijing Capital International Airport and is a member of the consortium which has a 15% stake in the Mexico North Central Group (including Acapulco and Monterrey airports). Through its international management arm (ADPM) ADP also has interests in Cambodia, Belgium, Egypt and Madagascar. Currently 100% owned by the French State, ADP will be partly privatised in 2005.

BAA is the world’s leading airport company, at the heart of the world’s transport network. BAA Airports are the gateways to the cities and countries they serve. Every year BAA takes responsibility for nearly 150 million passengers traveling through its airports, focusing on customers’ needs and safety.

BAA’s two London airports, Heathrow and Stansted, have helped to make London one of the world’s best connected cities. In Scotland we have transformed connections to all the major cities, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow. And in Southampton we have developed a very successful regional airport. As air travel becomes more popular, BAA airports need to develop and improve facilities to match these demands. Over the next five years, BAA has a capital investment plan of £4bn to spend at Heathrow Airport alone. In June 2006, BAA was bought by a consortium led by Ferrovial, the Spanish construction company, and in August of that year BAA officially de-listed from the London Stock Exchange. Ferrovial is one of the world’s leading construction groups, specialising in four strategic lines of business - airports, construction, transport infrastructure and services.

Birmingham International is the UK’s fifth largest Airport, third largest for charter traffic and has the highest proportion of business traffic second only to London Heathrow. In 2004, it handled nearly 9 million passengers through its two terminals and acts as the Midlands’ premier gateway to Europe, Scandinavia, North America, the Middle East and the Indian sub-continent.

Copenhagen Airports operates two airports in Denmark, has a 35.3% stake in Norway's Rygge Airport and has a 25.5% stake in ITA, which owns 15% of the Mexican airport holding company, ASUR. In addition, in 2002 it took a 49% stake in Newcastle International Airport.

Gatwick is the UK’s second largest airport with the busiest single-use runway in the world, serving 34 million passengers per year. In December 2009 Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) became the new owners; GIP has a 75% interest in London City Airport. Work will continue to transform Gatwick by investing £1bn to improve passenger experience and make Gatwick a first class airport.

Manchester Airport is the UK’s third largest airport and currently handles 20 million passengers a year, offering direct flights to over 180 destinations worldwide by over 90 airlines. Manchester Airport is part of The Manchester Airports Group Plc (MAG), which is the second largest airport operator in the UK and comprises the airports of Manchester, Nottingham East Midlands, Bournemouth and Humberside.

National Air Traffic Services Limited (NATS) provides air traffic control services at 15 of the UK's biggest airports, and "en-route" air traffic services for aircraft flying through UK airspace. NATS handle more than two million flights carrying over 220 million passengers. NATS also compete for business at the airports and have won all 15 of their contracts by being extremely good at what they do and the service they can offer. In 2005 NATS won their first overseas contract, for RAF Gibraltar.

NATS is leading the industry in terms of technological and business development and sells a range of product and consultancy services

Join us !

As the only B2B portal developed by airport operators, members will be using their direct experience of supply-chain process re-engineering, e-tendering systems, Supplier sourcing and collaboration to build an on-line marketplace and reference site for the airports industry. AirportSmart will provide an industry knowledge bank for those involved in airport supply-chain management to facilitate planning, match Buyers and Suppliers and improve the transparency of information between participants; with the common goal of improving industry efficiency whilst lowering overall costs.

Other airport operators are encouraged to join us.