CAPA Aviation Awards 2005

Qantas Airways has capped a highly successful year in which it recorded robust profits and launched low-cost operations in Australia and Singapore by winning the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation’s (CAPA) Airline of the Year Award for 2004.

At a gala dinner attended by 180 guests at The Fullerton Hotel, Singapore, Monday, Qantas was named by the Centre as the airline having the greatest impact on the development of Asia Pacific aviation in 2004.

The award was presented by the Centre’s Managing Director Peter Harbison to Qantas Chief Executive Geoff Dixon. Mr Dixon had earlier sat on an airline executives panel addressing the Asia Pacific & Middle East Aviation and Tourism Outlook 2005 conference at the Suntec Convention Centre.

“Qantas’s achievements in the last year have been tremendous from all points of view, as the most profitable airline in the region and for its initiative in becoming the first flag or major carrier to establish an offshore low-cost venture, Jetstar Asia, in Singapore; and successfully launching Jetstar in Australia to effectively counter Virgin Blue,” Mr Harbison said.

The CAPA Awards are presented annually to Asia Pacific and Middle Eastern personalities and organisations doing the most to influence business and regulatory strategy in ways which will have a lasting and irreversible impact on the evolution of the aviation and tourism industries.

In other CAPA aviation awards:

* The Minister of the Year award, given for the national government minister contributing most to the progress of aviation in the region, went to joint winners for the first time:

- Singapore Transport Minister, Mr Yeo Cheow Tong, “for the leadership shown in progressive liberalisation”, including providing access to several new entrant low cost airlines, and innovating with the construction of a dedicated low cost airline terminal”. Mr Yeo accepted the award in person; and

- Minister Yang Yuanyuan, Director General, Civil Aviation Administration of China, for “concluding a process of domestic airline consolidation in a commercial and orderly manner, achieving the successful IPO of national airline Air China, demonstrating strategic leadership in adjusting to a more liberal operating environment, and introducing new bilateral and multilateral liberalisation initiatives;

* Pioneering low-cost operator AirAsia won the Low Cost Airline of the Year award for its high growth development and innovation in establishing joint ventures in Thailand and Indonesia. Tony Fernandes, the Chief Executive Officer, received the award on behalf of the airline;

* Tony Fernandes, the flamboyant Chief Executive of AirAsia, was also adjudged to be Aviation Executive of the Year “for his contribution to transforming Asia Pacific attitudes to flying – both for the travelling public, the aviation industry and at government level”. The award was presented to Mr Fernandes, the CEO;

* Korean Air Cargo was named Cargo Airline of the Year for its continuing robust performance, expansion in North America, China and eastern Europe; and the announcement of an ambitious investment strategy aimed at establishing the airline as the world’s largest cargo carrier by 2007. The award was accepted by Mr NS Kim, Regional Manager, Korean Air, Singapore;

* The Airline Turnaround of the Year was won by SriLankan Airlines for “achieving a remarkable doubling of profit in 2004, substantially increasing international capacity, particularly to the key Incheon market, and continued development of Colombo Airport as a hub for India and other markets”. Sri Lankan’s Head of Corporate Communications, Chandana De Silva, received the award; and

* The CAPA Asia Pacific Airport of the Year award went to Macau Airport for “undertaking aggressive marketing to reposition the airport effectively, despite strong local competition, and establishing itself as the most attractive LCC airport in the region, with the first north Asian low cost airline operations”. Chan Wai Leong, the airport’s Executive Director, was present to receive the award.

Each of the award winners received an inscribed plaque. The Centre’s two conferences in Singapore this week, the Asia Pacific & Middle East Aviation and Tourism Outlook 2005 conference and the 2nd Annual Asia Pacific Low Cost Airline Symposium, attracted more than 500 speakers, delegates and media from Asia, the Middle East, Australasia, the Pacific, the US and Europe.

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