Norwegian, jetBlue, airBaltic, TAP Portugal and Cobalt Air scooped the airline awards at the 2017 CAPA Aviation Awards for Excellence, held in London on 12-Oct-2017 as part of the 2017 CAPA-ACTE Global Summit.
Now in their 15th year, CAPA"™s Aviation Awards for Excellence are intended to reward airlines, airports and individuals that are not only successful, but have also provided industry strategic leadership in an always changing environment.
Initially limited to Asia Pacific and the Middle East, the awards were expanded by CAPA in 2012 to include all regions. Award candidates were independently researched and short-listed by CAPA"™s global team of analysts for performance over the past 12 months, and vetted by a small panel of independent industry experts.
Norwegian was awarded CAPA Airline of the Year
This award is to the airline that has been the biggest standout strategically during the year, has had the greatest impact on the development of the airline industry, has established itself as a leader, and provided a benchmark for others to follow. Norwegian is among the leaders in the long haul, low cost arena in Europe, proving that in terms of demand there is a market for the model among price sensitive business and leisure passengers. Imitation is apparently the best form of flattery, and that is clear with the increasing number of airlines now looking to adopt Norwegian’s model of using single aisle aircraft to link trans-Atlantic markets. Through its initiatives, Norwegian has blazed a trail that others are now following. The impact on new North Atlantic traffic in what was previously considered a mature market has already been remarkable. Sustainable profitability with the rapid growth model is the next challenge, particularly if states continue to wind back regulatory openness. But the fact remains, the North Atlantic in particular will never be the same. And as Norwegian spreads its wings further into Singapore and the Argentine domestic market, the Norwegian brand penetrates even more expansively.
Aeromexico CEO Andres Conesa was awarded CAPA Airline Executive of the YearThis is awarded to the airline executive who has had the greatest individual influence on the aviation industry, demonstrating outstanding strategic thinking and innovative direction for the growth of their business and the industry. Mr Conesa was named CEO of Aeromexico in 2005, just as a wave of low cost carriers were establishing themselves in Mexico"™s growing aviation market. Since that time, Aeromexico has strengthened its balance sheet and overhauled its fleet to become Mexico"™s premier global network airline, and the only Latin American operator offering long haul service to both Europe and Asia. The airline has doubled its international capacity since 2010. Under Mr Conesa"™s leadership, Aeromexico has forged a deep relationship with one of North America"™s leading airlines, Delta, that culminated in the creation of a joint venture launched in 2017 that will produce millions of dollars annually in synergies for Aeromexico. The joint venture will further distinguish Aeromexico"™s network superiority from its Latin American rivals. "Aeromexico has laid the foundation to transform Mexico City into a global hub for Latin America with a level of network depth and breadth that raises the competitive stakes for full service airlines operating in the region", said Mr Peter Harbison (Executive Chairman CAPA "“ Centre for Aviation…
