Salzburg, 26 March 2016: The 2016 Air Transport News Awards Ceremony, organised in partnership with UATP and under the patronage of Stiftung Mozarteum Salzburg, took place for the first time in aviation history in the remarkable Mozart Residence.
The ceremony started with a concert played on Mozart Costa-Violin and Mozart Fortepiano from the acclaimed musicians Christoph Koncz violinist, principal of the Vienna Philarmonic and Evgenia Votanopoulou, pianist.
“We are delighted to be recognized by Air Transport News’ distinguished industry award program. Being awarded the best Regional Aircraft Manufacturer of the Year reaffirms our position as a leader and influencer in the industry this year as we ready to deliver the C Series aircraft – the only all-new, single- aisle offering available in the 100- to 150- seat segment in close to 30 years,” said Fred Cromer, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. “Having influential industry experts and ATN’s readers recognize how the CRJ Series regional jets and Q Series family of turboprop aircraft helped shape regional travel in Europe is a true compliment. We graciously accept and thank you for nominating Bombardier as the Regional Aircraft Manufacturer of the Year for 2016.”
“We are honored to have been selected for this prestigious award, Engine Manufacturer of the Year” said Robert Leduc, President of Pratt & Whitney. “We are proud to lead our industry in providing a step change in fuel efficiency and dramatic reductions in emissions and noise.”
Eric Born, Group President & CEO Swissport: “I am immensely proud of Ground Handler of the Year Award, and I wish to express my gratitude to the jury and Air Transport News’ expert audience on behalf of all our employees. It is the best testimony to our commitment to highest service and quality standards, and our dedication to drive innovation. We will do everything to earn a consideration to win the award again next year.”
“SITA is proud to be honored with the IT Company of the Year award bestowed by Air Transport News the second year in a row. Operating at the forefront of the air transport industry, we continuously collaborate with our industry partners to create community value and develop new technologies which transform air travel. This win is an endorsement of all of the hard work by SITA staff around the globe,” said Francesco Violante, CEO, SITA.
“On behalf of Turkish Technic, I am honoured to receive such an iconic award, “MRO Company of the Year” from a jury of distinguished experts in the aviation industry. This award records that Turkish Technic is the worlds new rising brand of MRO business.” Ahmet Karaman, CEO of Turkish Airlines Technic.
Managing Director of SkyTeam, Perry Cantarutti: ”Winning the Alliance of the Year award for the second consecutive year is a great honor and clearly demonstrates that SkyTeam’s customer-focused approach is being recognized by the industry and valued by our customers. We are focused on delivering value to the 20 member airlines and their 665 million customers by creating aseamless travel experience across our network of 1,057 destinations. We continue to implement more industry-leading services and benefits to enhance our customers travel experiences with the SkyTeam network of carriers.”
Pascal Personne, CEO, Bordeaux Airport: ”I am, and with me, Bordeaux Airport’s team, very pride of Airport of the Year under 10 Million Passengers award.
It is a major recognition of our work and of our good results. This award is particularly enjoyable because it is a professional appraisal, it comes from professional bodies or high responsible who know that the tremendous evolution of Bordeaux Airport for the last decade has not only needed, first, to draw the good strategic line but, much more difficult for my team members, to make the necessary everyday efforts to reach set objectives .
Here we are, Bordeaux Airport in the last 6 years enjoyed an average of 10% growth rate for its passenger traffic, from 3.3 million in 2009 to 5.3 million in 2015. A large part of this success is due to our low cost strategy and the building of billi, our low cost terminal. But not only, legacy carriers are also very pleased about their scores in Bordeaux. Last year, on 94 operated routes, 90 showed positive traffic results with improved load factors.
2016 should also be a very good year. Few airlines have already annonced lots of new routes. In addition, few local events should have a positive impact on traffic; among those, the EURO 2016, 5 main matches will be played in Bordeaux.
Thus, I am very confident, your ATN Award will also be honoured by our future results.”
H.E Ali Majed Al Mansoori, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Airports. “Winning the 2016 Air Transport News Award for Airport of the Year in the 10-30 million passengers category, is a huge honor for Abu Dhabi Airports as it reflects a strong vote of confidence from our passengers who appreciate the high quality services we provide. It is also a firm indication that we are making great strides on our journey towards achieving our vision of becoming the world’s leading airports group. It takes a collaborative effort to win such an award, and it is down to the extraordinary hard work and commitment of all those involved in running Abu Dhabi International Airport that we have received this recognition.”
TAV Group President and CEO Sani Şener remarked: “Istanbul Atatürk Airport was the third busiest airport of Europe surpassing London and Paris by providing services to 61.3 million passengers last year. As soon as the additional facility, which is about to be completed at the international terminal with an investment of €75 million, opens into service, Ataturk Airport will be ready to serve around 75-80 million passengers annually. We are making continuous improvements in collaboration with all our industrial stakeholders to provide safe, rapid and comfortable travel to all our passengers. We are honored to be deemed worthy of “Airport of the Year” award given by Air Transport News, popular among aviation professionals, thanks to our constant efforts.”
“Turkish Cargo as a sub-brand of Turkish Airlines, utilizing its flight network and fleet, has become one of the fastest growing players in the global air cargo industry. Turkish Cargo achieved 18% yearly average growth over the past decade. Turkish Cargo increased its cargo and mail volume to 720.000 tons in 2015 and aims to be in “The League of Millions” in terms of cargo carried. With the existing fleet structure, cargo services to 55 cargo destinations are on offer besides 284 destinations with passengers aircraft. We can say Turkish Cargo carries cargo and mails to more countries than any other airline and has the widest network. Turkish Cargo continues its investments without deceleration like the new cargo terminal in Istanbul Ataturk Airport. Turkish Cargo will have 150,000 m2 enclosed area in the new airport in Istanbul. Turkish Cargo is strongly committed to increase service quality day by day and to promote Istanbul to become a logistics centre.” said Dr Temel Kotil, CEO, Turkish Airlines for the Cargo Airline of the Year Award
Regional Airline of the Year: “We are proud to be recognized in a such way among all these great regional airlines. Best airlines are made out of great people, challenges and ideas. We are grateful for your confidence and recognition.” Arno Schuster, Management Board Member, Adria Airways
Carolyn McCall, CEO of easyJet: “We are honoured to receive the 2016 Air Transport News Award for Low Cost Airline of the Year and would like to thank the readers of Air Transport News as well as the expert jury for their support. This award is testimony to all the hard work and dedication from our people who commit to making flying easier and more affordable every day.”
Dr Temel Kotil, CEO, Turkish Airlines for the Airline of the Year Award: “As the Turkish Airlines family grows every day by offering more and more services, our customers satisfaction is still our first priority. We have achieved a significant rise by increasing the number of passengers from 10.3 in 2002 million to nearly 62 million in 2015. With total 284 flight destinations to 113 countries, we became the airline that flies to the most countries in the world. In 2016, we anticipate carrying 72 million passengers our fleet contains the youngest most modern aircraft in Europe which has now reached 304. We’ll continue to grow by purchasing new airplanes, and by adding new cities to our flight network. Turkish Airlines has received the Best Airline in Europe award five years in a row. In 2023, we aim to increase our number of passengers from nearly 60 million to 120 million, and our number of aircrafts from 300 to more than 450. With the completion of the new airport in Istanbul, Turkish Airlines will achieve a much different momentum.”
“We are very pleased and honored to have received this highly recognized and prestigious 2016 Air Transport News Award for UATP Award. I believe this Award recognizes the outstanding partnership we have had over the past years with UATP and confirms that the jointly developed innovative corporate payment solutions are of the highest standard on the market around the globe.” Patrick Diemer, CEO, AirPlus International
“I am very honored to receive the George Iatrou Lifetime Achievement Award and I would like to express my thanks to Air Transport News for this esteemed recognition. I have been involved for many years in the aviation industry working with major German airports and as a member of the governing bodies of a number of important industry organizations such as the ACI Europe and the ACI World. Throughout my career, I have tried to keep the focus on improving services for passengers and airlines to make airports more attractive, more sustainable and a bit greener. And, if we succeed in reducing emissions and noise the aviation industry will gain even more overall acceptance for future growth.” Most importantly, I want to emphasize that it is due to my fantastic airport team and their continued support that my success is possible. I owe so very much to them. Thank you again.” said accepting the award Dr Michael Kerkloh, CEO of Munich Airport.
“I am very grateful to Air Transport News for naming me Woman of the Year,” Dr. Fariba Alamdari said. “As Boeing celebrates its Centennial in 2016, this award is a testament to the growth in opportunities for women in aerospace in general and at Boeing in particular, and I look forward to seeing generations of women follow me into this amazing industry as we build our second century of aerospace.”
“It is a great honour and responsibility for me to be named Leader of the Year,” Vitaly Saveliev, Chairman and CEO, Aeroflot said. “But this is not just my personal achievement; I regard this as an acknowledgement of all of the efforts of the whole of our management team and all my colleagues at Aeroflot.
“We are also honoured to win the Readers’ Choice Award — the first Air Transport News Award in Aeroflot’s history — and particularly pleased that it has been voted for by readers. This is recognition of the hard work that we have done to reinvent Aeroflot over the past seven years, and clearly shows that passengers appreciate the best-in-class service we offer on our young fleet of aircraft. We of course have no plans to rest on our laurels, but will continue striving to ensure Aeroflot achieves its strategic goal of being a world-leading airline and a worthy champion for the Russian civil aviation sector.”
In particular, the winners by category are as follows:
-Regional Aircraft Manufacturer of the Year: Bombardier
-Aircraft Manufacturer of the Year: Airbus
-Engine Manufacturer of the Year: Pratt & Whitney
-Ground Handler of the Year: Swissport
-IT Company of the Year: SITA
-MRO Company of the Year: Turkish Technic
-Airline Alliance of the Year: SkyTeam
-Airport of the Year under 10 Million Passengers: Bordeaux Airport
-Airport of the Year 10-30 Million Passengers: Abu Dhabi International Airport
-Airport of the Year: Istanbul Atatürk Airport
-Cargo Airline of the Year: Turkish Cargo
-Regional Airline of the Year: Adria Airways
-Low Cost Airline of the Year: easyJet
-Airline of the Year: Turkish Airlines
-Readers’ Choice Award: Aeroflot
-UATP Award: AirPlus International
-George Iatrou Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr Michael Kerkloh, CEO Munich Airport
-Woman of the Year: Dr. Fariba Alamdari
-Leader of the Year: Vitaly Saveliev, Chairman and CEO, Aeroflot
The Chairperson of the Jury, Jeff Poole, Director General of CANSO said: “I have once again had the honour to chair a prestigious jury for the Air Transport News Awards. As an industry we are often taken for granted in terms of the very significant economic and social benefits that we provide on a global basis. Also, we often take ourselves for granted as we strive to meet the daily challenges, technology advances and immense changes in aviation. So, it is very welcome and appropriate that we take time to recognise and reward the companies and individuals that make it happen through their significant contributions to safety, technological capability, operational efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. All of the organisations that have been shortlisted by public nominations can be very proud. As always, the competition for each of the ATN Awards in 2016 was very strong and presented the jury with some difficult choices. On behalf of the jury, I congratulate the winners for their outstanding achievements.”
“It was an honor and a privilege to be part of this distinguished jury and to co-host the event with Air Transport News. We have worked with ATN for several years and these prestigious awards showcase the tremendous companies that have excelled to win this year’s awards,” said Ralph Kaiser, President and CEO, UATP. “Congratulations to all of the winners for their hard work and dedication to advancing the travel industry.”
“Presenting the Air Transport News Awards 2016 in Mozart’s Residence here in Salzburg is unique! Mozart’s spirit was with us! Thanks to Kostas Iatrou and his organising team!” said Dr Johannes Honsig-Erlenburg, President of Stiftung Mozarteum Salzburg.
“I am pleased and honoured by the fact that that Air Transport News Awards have become one of the most important awards in the air transport industry and this year were hosted in this exceptional place. These awards present the commitment of Air Transport News to recognize the achievements of the best companies, leaders and practices in the air transportation. I would like to thank Stiftung Mozarteum Salzburg that kindly offered the venue, UATP for the partnership, the jury of experts and our readers” stated Dr Kostas Iatrou, Managing Director of Air Transport News.