Increasing control of operations and improving financial performance at regional airports: A case study of Viggo Eindhoven Airport

This case study describes the growth and development of Viggo in both its volume and its level of professionalism. Viggo is a privately owned airport service provider at Eindhoven Airport and Lelystad Airport in The Netherlands. A strong growth rate in the beginning of this century required Viggo to shift from the traditional ground handling of legacy carriers and charters to being a broad airport service provider handling mainly low-cost carriers. The explosion in volume and complexity led to many organisational and operational changes. This case study focuses on the implementation of the continuous improvement methodology and how evidence-based management is achieved through the creation of data-driven decision-making in both the operational execution and the improvement cycles. The implementation of these concepts substantially improved the operational efficiency and effectiveness while creating a stable and profitable financial situation at a regional airport fully reliant on low-cost carriers. The case tends to set an example for regional airports, its service providers and other stakeholders sizing between two and ten million passengers annually in how continuous improvement and data-based evidence can increase the control of operations and boost financial results.