#attachment_caption

Aer Rianta International (ARI) brought together more than 3,500 colleagues across three continents last month to celebrate the third anniversary of its Joy On Your Way brand expression.

Joy Day 2026 featured a programme of colleague recognition initiatives, wellbeing activities, customer experiences and cultural activations across ARI’s international estate, highlighting the company’s focus on employee engagement and customer experience.

A key feature of this year’s celebrations was a hero film following ARI’s signature red balloon as it travelled across the retailer’s global network, connecting colleagues in Europe, North America and the Middle East. More than 1,000 photographs were also shared via ARI’s live “Joy Wall”, showcasing celebrations from across the business.

“Three years on, Joy On Your Way has become far more than a brand expression. It has become part of how we think, how we make decisions and how we create value across our business,” said Ray Hernan, CEO of ARI.

“In an industry increasingly shaped by technology and automation, our greatest differentiator remains our people. Joy reminds us that meaningful human connections are what travellers remember, what partners value and what continues to set ARI apart.”

Celebrations reflected the diversity of ARI’s operations, with Portugal hosting a month-long programme centred on colleague recognition, sustainability and community engagement, while teams in Canada focused on wellbeing initiatives and customer hospitality. In Cyprus, family-friendly activities and passenger activations took place at Larnaca and Paphos airports during the peak summer travel season.

Sarah Jane Lynch, Global Head of Marketing at ARI, said the initiative had helped create a shared culture across the retailer’s international operations.

“The biggest impact of Joy On Your Way has been creating a shared sense of purpose across our global business,” she said.

“Whether you’re in Montreal, Cyprus, Portugal, Muscat or Dublin, teams understand what it means and what it looks like in practice. One of the biggest mistakes global brands can make is confusing consistency with uniformity. We want every location expressing the same idea in a way that feels authentic to its own people and community. That’s what makes Joy On Your Way work globally.”

Originally launched in 2023, Joy On Your Way continues to underpin ARI’s approach to colleague engagement, partnerships and the customer experience across its global travel retail network.