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Runaway success: Hungarian Duty Free Managing Director Fritz Janach (left) and his team; anna.aero Publisher Paul Hogan is on the right |
HUNGARY. Gebr Heinemann can lay legitimate claim to being the world’s fastest airport concessionaire – after winning a charity race at Budapest Airport.
The retailer was taking part in an annual air transport industry 10km charity race, the Airbus-sponsored anna.aero-Budapest Airport Runway Run, which was held on Runway 13R-31L of Budapest Airport on 5 September.
Gebr Heinemann unit Hungarian Duty Free (HDF) represented the company, with Managing Director Fritz Janach leading the charge. “HDF is a big supporter of this superb charity event on many levels – not least the actual taking part – and no doubt many people will be both surprised and amused to have seen me running down the runway,” he said.
“But what I may personally lack in athletic ability is clearly more than compensated for in great team management as we won! We like to think that HDF, and certainly Heinemann, are the most competitive airport partners you can get, and now we have the official proof.”
Gebr Heinemann was victorious in the Fastest Aviation Enterprise category, which was contested by several air transport-related companies, including Airbus. It was also a silver sponsor of the race and gave each of the 920 entrants a 10% off voucher to use on departure.
Swiss International Air Lines won the “˜Fastest Airline In The World’ accolade, beating reigning champions Aer Lingus, who achieved a second-place podium finish.
Poland’s Wroclaw Airport beat a field of much bigger airports including Aeroporti di Roma, Toulouse, Manchester, Berlin, Munich, and London Heathrow to take the prize of “˜Fastest Airport’.
All entry proceeds were donated to Hungary’s Suhanj! Foundation as well as the Anthony Nolan charity, which provides bone marrow transplants for leukaemia sufferers globally.
All finishers were awarded the “˜Bron’s Medal’ in memory of anna.aero Publisher Paul Hogan’s 12-year-old daughter, Brontë ‘Bron’ Hogan, who passed away in 2011 after a five-year battle with leukaemia.
