Newcastle International Airport was this week crowned the Best Airport with up to six million passengers in the UK at the prestigious Airport Operators Association (AOA) Awards ceremony for the third year running- a first in the history of the awards.
The accolade was awarded to Newcastle Airport by the British Air Transport Association (BATA) at the AOA Annual Conference 2011 awards ceremony held in London on Monday 31st October. BATA, whose members include some of the world’s leading airlines and tour operators, voted Newcastle International the UK’s best airport with up to six million passengers per year.
Simon Buck, BATA Chief Executive said: ‘I am delighted to present this AOA award to Newcastle Airport on behalf of British airlines. The airport has demonstrated its commitment to a high level of customer service to its passengers and airline customers alike over many years and this is recognised in the making of this award for the third year running.”
Dave Laws, chief executive of Newcastle Airport, said; “We are absolutely thrilled to be awarded Best UK Airport for the third consecutive year. To be recognised by our peers as delivering a great service is extremely rewarding. The support we receive from our airline partners and their investment in the North East has been phenomenal.
“Despite these challenging times, we are investing in the business and, in turn, the wider region. As an airport we work hard to make a positive difference to our customers travelling through the airport, for them to experience an enjoyable journey is a priority for us. We will continue to focus on delivering a commendable service.”
The North East’s largest airport beat off competition from Leeds Bradford, Bristol, Liverpool, and East Midlands to win the coveted award, which was presented by The Independent’s travel editor, Simon Calder, at the ceremony.
The awards, attended by record number of delegates from across the industry, were also determined by the Airport Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the British Business and General Aviation Association (BBGA) who nominated airports for their excellence in particular areas.
Simon added: “BATA is again pleased to have nominated the two “Best Airport” awards. Both categories were extremely competitive and the winners well deserved. The strong field of nominees highlights the good working relationships that exist between UK airlines and airports.”