Winners of the Air Charter Excellence Awards 2022 announced

21 November 2022: Global trade association The Air Charter Association (The ACA) is pleased to announce the 2022 winners of its prestigious Air Charter Excellence Awards, hosted on Thursday 17 November at the Hilton Metropole, Brighton.

Companies and individuals were nominated in nine categories, and winners chosen through a combination of member voting and an independent judging panel.

The first award of the night went to Farnborough Airport who took home ‘FBO / Handling Agent of the Year’. Other category winners included Bombardier, ‘Aircraft Manufacturer of the Year’; Air Hamburg, ‘Executive Charter Operator of the Year’; Air Alsie, ‘Commercial Charter Operator of the Year’; Antonov Airlines, ‘Cargo Operator of the Year’; SaxonAir, ‘Helicopter Charter Operator of the Year’ and Hunt & Palmer, ‘Charter Operators’ Broker of the Year’.

The ACA’s NextGen Young Person of the Year award, which is given to the person who best demonstrates exceptional services to the industry in the under 25 age bracket, was awarded to Charlotte Rees (Fly Wales).

The Sir Michael Marshall Award for Sustainability in Aviation was awarded to Nicola-Jane Sellers, Luxaviation, in recognition of her efforts in raising awareness of sustainability and innovation in aviation.

Following a drinks reception in the hotel’s stunning Clarence Room, The ACA’s Chairman Kevin Ducksbury welcomed a record number of more than 400 guests to the Gala event in the Oxford Suite where a gourmet three-course meal was served alongside the presentation of nine awards. The finalists and winners in each category were announced by their respective sponsors. After dinner, guests moved into the adjoining Cambridge Hall where they enjoyed an evening of networking and entertainment.

Kevin Ducksbury says: “The Air Charter Excellence Awards is The ACA’s flagship annual event, and it gives us the opportunity to recognise and reward excellence in our industry.

“New for 2022 are the awards for the Helicopter Charter Operator of the Year and the Operators’ Charter Broker of the Year, an award voted on exclusively by operator members of The ACA to recognise our broker members who are at the core of the Association.

“I would like to extend my congratulations to all our winners. 2022 has been a very successful year, although not without its challenges, and bringing our members together to celebrate in this way is an honour.”

The full list of winners of the 2022 Air Charter Excellence Awards is as follows:

• Handling Agent / FBO of The Year – Farnborough Airport
• Aircraft Manufacturer of The Year – Bombardier
• Executive Passenger Charter Operator of The Year – Air Hamburg
• Commercial Passenger Charter Operator of The Year – Air Alsie
• Cargo Charter Operator of The Year – Antonov Airlines
• Helicopter Charter Operator of The Year – SaxonAir
• Charter Operators’ Broker of The Year – Hunt & Palmer
• The ACA NextGen Young Person of The Year – Charlotte Rees, Fly Wales
• Sir Michael Marshall Award for Sustainability in Aviation – Nicola-Jane Sellers, Luxaviation

Sponsors of the event included 8020 Communications, ACC Aviation, ACP Worldwide, Cambridge City Airport, Farnborough Airport, Flight Consulting Group, Harrods Aviation, London Southend Jet Centre, Luxaviation, Titan Airways and XLR Jet Centres.