The Hague AirportRoland Wondolleck, managing director of Rotterdam Airport, welcomes plans to change the airport’s current name to Rotterdam-The Hague Airport. Global The Hague caught up with him nd asked him about the actual implementation of the plan. From a number of perspectives, it makes perfect sense to rename Rotterdam’s airport ‘Rotterdam- The Hague Airport’. In addition to being strategically located in the heart of the South Western Netherlands, the new name will be recognised internationally, both as a government airport and as a fully fl edged international airport, with a focus on European destinations for both business travellers and tourists. ‘Although the plans for the name change have been known for years at the political level, this is the first time they have received any serious attention. We’re very pleased with the current interest from the national government, especially now that The Hague alderman Frits Huffnagel and his Rotterdam counterpart Mark Harbers are so committed to ensuring that the plan is implemented this year.’ ’Deluxe’ Airport The combination of Rotterdam Airport and the City of The Hague is interesting to both parties, as the name change is set to put the City of Peace and Justice on the world map both literally and metaphorically. The City of Rotterdam is also poised to benefi t from the merger, as it is guaranteed to attract larger numbers of both local residents and international visitors to the Greater Hague Area. Ronald Wondolleck: ‘As an effi cient and well-organised international airport offering maximum passenger convenience, we are a ‘deluxe’ hotel in our own specifi c area. Rotterdam Airport caters mainly to international business travellers, but we also facilitate commercial fl ights to summer and winter resorts. We will even be adding a new terminal to be able to continue to provide the same high level of service.’  Accessibility In addition to expanding its range of services, the airport will be taking a more customer-focussed approach in the business market. Rotterdam Airport, which serves as a business travel hub, has been a step ahead of the plans by operating the recently launched airline Sky-Taxi. This new player is just one of several airlines – others include Jet Netherlands, RAS, Aerodynamics and KammAir – that operate out of Rotterdam-Airport offering short-haul business fl ights. These planes can accommodate six to eight passengers and fl y to destinations such as Athens for a relatively low fare. Ronald Wondolleck told us in conclusion: ‘I consider the new name to be an absolute highlight, although a number of steps still need to be implemented to complete this project successfully. Since Rotterdam Airport focuses on passenger travel rather than air cargo, it is essential that the surrounding cities – most of all The Hague, of course – are accessible by public transport from the airport. To meet the needs of our travellers throughout the entire area, it is therefore vital that this accessibility is improved in the very near future.’ |
