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Vasil Levski Sofia Airport won the European HR Excellence Award 2026 for innovation and AI in human resource management and people development
Vasil Levski Sofia Airport was awarded the HR Excellence Award 2026 at a special ceremony during the annual congress of ACI EUROPE in Prague. This is one of the most prestigious awards in the European aviation industry and is awarded to airports that demonstrate outstanding achievements in the development of human capital, organizational culture and the preparation of teams for the challenges of the future.
"Winning the ACI EUROPE HR Excellence Award is a huge recognition for Vasil Levski Sofia Airport and an important sign that the transformation we have been consistently implementing in recent years is achieving real results. This recognition confirms our belief that digitalization and artificial intelligence have the greatest value when they improve the work environment, develop organizational culture and enable people to maximize their potential. I am extremely proud of our entire team, whose dedication, adaptability and ambition are turning Sofia’s airport into one of the most innovative and modern aviation organizations in Europe," said Jesus Caballero, CEO of SOF Connect.
The distinction was awarded to the capital's airport by an expert panel of judges who utilise their extensive experience in the transport industry to decide upon the worthy winners. ACI EUROPE offers gratitude and thanks to the judges: Filip Cornelis (Director for DG MOVE, Directorate E, European Commission), Angela Gittens (Former Director General, ACI World), Andreas Boschen (Executive Director, SESAR Joint Undertaking), Patricia Reverdy (Executive Secretary, ECAC), Raúl Medina Caballero (Director General, EUROCONTROL), Florian Guillermet (Executive Director, EASA), Mark Pilling (Managing Editor, Aviation Week Network), Cheol-yun Kang (Senior Programme Manager, OECD), the ACI EUROPE Board, the Advisory Board of the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme, the Chair of the ACI EUROPE Leadership and HR Forum, and the Chairs of the ACI Regional Human Resources Committees.
This year, the competition placed a special emphasis on the successful application of AI technologies in human resources management and people development. The international jury recognized Vasil Levski Sofia Airport for the implementation of innovative AI solutions in multiple HR processes, the analytical approach in identifying organizational challenges and creating a better working environment. According to the jury’s assessment, the airport’s application demonstrated an excellent analytical framework for identifying key challenges and transforming the use of artificial intelligence in people management, while achieving a successful balance between technological innovation and the development of human potential.
HR Excellence Award 2026 is another international recognition for Vasil Levski Sofia Airport after last year the capital’s airport was selected as “Best Airport in Europe” in the 5 to 10 million passengers category by ACI EUROPE. The new award confirms the successful transformation of the airport into a modern, technologically oriented and innovative aviation hub. It includes large-scale digitalization of processes, implementation of artificial intelligence solutions, development of new competencies and preparation for the construction of Terminal 3 – the largest infrastructure project in the history of Bulgarian civil aviation.
