European Regions Airline Association announces its award winners

Loganair wins ERA Airline of the Year Gold Award

Scottish regional airline Loganair was commended by judges for rebuilding its commercial infrastructure since its franchise agreement with Flybe ended in 2017 and for serving its community in remote areas of Scotland in tough and challenging conditions.

Canary Islands-based airline Binter was declared the winner of the Silver Award, while UK-based Titan Airways won the Bronze Award.

Loganair was declared the winner of the prestigious ERA Airline of the Year Gold Award at ERA’s (European Regions Airline Association) annual awards ceremony on Wednesday 10 October in Edinburgh, Scotland. Jonathan Hinkles, Loganair’s Managing Director said: “Receiving an award of this calibre is a tremendous privilege, highlighting everything Loganair has achieved since flying solo last year. Everyone in the team has worked incredibly hard to build a regional airline providing sustainable and reliable services for the communities to which we fly. The foundations that we’ve laid over the last year will serve Loganair well for decades to come, and we’re very much looking forward to playing a leading role in the future of the UK’s regional air services.”

Canary Islands-based airline Binter received the Silver award. The President of Binter, Pedro Agustín del Castillo Machado thanked the association for acknowledging for yet another year the work of the Canary Islands airline, which will, in five months’ time, be celebrating its 30th anniversary. Mr. del Castillo highlighted that 2017 was a very intense year for the transport sector in the Canary islands, where Binter remained market leader in flight connections and took huge strides forward in growth areas such as the design and production of aeronautical parts, reporting a cost-effective close to the financial year.

Titan Airways received the Airline of the Year Bronze Award. Alastair Willson, Managing Director of Titan Airways commented: “We are delighted to receive this accolade in what is our 30th year of operations. I happily accept the award on behalf of Titan’s employees. Every one of them rose to the challenge last summer when we were asked to assist the CAA with the largest ever peacetime repatriation following the sad loss of Monarch Airlines. In the past 12 months we have also added three aircraft to our fleet and turnover for the financial year has exceeded £100 million – for the first time in our history. We are an active ERA member, admirably represented by our Operations Director Graham Baguley. We are proud to operate on behalf of many ERA members and to have this endorsement of our business model is very welcome.”

Aviation stalwart Jon Horne wins ERA Personal Excellence Award

Jon Horne was unveiled as the winner of ERA’s prestigious Personal Excellence Award on 10 October at the ERA awards dinner in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Horne’s long and successful career has seen him in several leadership positions at major airports including London City Airport, Cardiff Airport and London Southend Airport.

Horne was instrumental in pioneering airport membership at ERA as well as strengthening the prominence of airports within the association throughout the years.

Aviation stalwart Jon Horne was announced as the winner of the ERA (European Regions Airline Association) Personal Excellence Award at the association’s prestigious annual awards dinner which took place during the association’s General Assembly in Edinburgh. The ERA Personal Excellence Award celebrates a person’s individual achievements and contribution to ERA and European aviation.

Jon Horne has been an ever-present figure throughout ERA’s journey and was instrumental in pioneering the association’s airport membership and strengthening the prominence of airports within the association. Throughout his 45-year career, Jon Horne has worked at several major businesses within the aviation industry, starting out at Southampton Airport and Aurigny Air Services, then moving on to London City Airport as Operations Director. This was followed by appointments at Sheffield City Airport where he was Managing Director, Cardiff Airport where he was Chief Executive and, more recently, at Stobart Aviation, London Southend Airport where his position was Chief Operating Officer.

Horne has supported ERA throughout his entire career, served twice as a member of the ERA Board, and is hugely respected throughout the aviation community.

Shannon Airport announced ERA Airport of the Year

Shannon Airport has won the prestigious ERA Airport of the Year Award. Shannon Airport managed a complete renewal of the airport’s runway, finishing six weeks ahead of schedule and under budget, while also managing to keep the airport open throughout the process. 

Shannon Airport was also praised for maintaining its role as a key part of the community and providing essential connectivity for the region.

The awards are judged by an independent panel and, celebrating the achievements of ERA member airports, the ERA Airport of the Year Award recognises their positive impact on the European communities and the aviation industry. ERA Director General Montserrat Barriga comments: “Our Airport of the Year Award winner Shannon Airport has successfully managed a complete renewal of the airport’s runway. To do this, Shannon Airport achieved €15m of external investment and managed to keep the airport open throughout the project. Remarkably, the project was finished six weeks ahead of schedule and also under budget. Shannon Airport continues to maintain its role as a key part of the community, providing essential connectivity for the region, and I congratulate them for winning this prestigious award this year.”

Welcoming the award, Andrew Murphy, Managing Director, Shannon Airport said: “Shannon Airport is delighted to have received this prestigious European accolade from ERA. Our runway upgrade project, which was self-funded with the assistance of a commercial loan from ISIF, the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, was completed last year ahead of time and under budget. It was part of an overall €40 million investment programme at Shannon Airport on a range of customer-focused projects. For example, we reinvented our Shannon Duty-Free shop, the world’s first Duty Free. We added new dining facilities and upgraded our boarding gate area, transit, and executive lounges.

“We opened Europe’s first airport sensory room and delivered a suite of online supports for visitors who need special assistance at the airport setting a new standard for the global aviation industry to follow. We introduced new time-saving technology to reduce US pre-clearance security screening time and make our customers’ journey through the airport even quicker and easier.”