Angela Gittens ACI Director General Presented with Woman of the Year Award

March 20, 2013
Angela Gittens began her tenure as Director General of Airports Council International (ACI World) in 2008.

Montréal, Québec, CANADA, 19 March 2013 - At the 2013 Air Transport News (ATN) Awards on Sunday 17 March, Angela Gittens, Director General of Airports Council International (ACI) was honoured with ATN's first Woman of the Year Award.

The Awards Ceremony took place on the eve of ICAO's Sixth Worldwide Air Transport Conference in Montreal and was well attended by leaders from all reaches of the air transport industry. The Awards celebrate the companies and key players that have made and continue to make outstanding contributions to the air transport industry and whose vision and determination have positively impacted not only industry, but the countless individuals and communities touched by the economic and social spinoffs of aviation.

Angela Gittens, Director General, ACI stated, "I am thrilled to receive this inaugural Woman of the Year award from Air Transport News. I share this award with all the other women in aviation who represent this dynamic industry and who work day in and day out to ensure its safety and sustainability. It is particularly gratifying to share the stage with my colleague Raymond Benjamin who has been named Leader of the Year and I assure you that ACI will continue to work alongside ICAO and our other aviation stakeholders to attain the benefits that commercial aviation brings to the world's communities."

Angela Gittens began her tenure as Director General of Airports Council International (ACI World) in 2008. She was formerly CEO for two of the largest US airport systems, Miami and Atlanta, and deputy at another, San Francisco International Airport. In other previous roles, Gittens served as Vice-President, Airport Business Services for HNTB Corporation, where she led the firm's practice in airport business and strategic planning. And as Vice President at TBI Airport Management, she oversaw the transition to private ownership of London Luton Airport and managed operations contracts at several airports in the US and Canada.

Gittens has served on numerous aviation industry boards and committees including FAA and NASA advisory committees, the Executive Committee of the National Academy of Science's Transportation Research Board and the Board of Directors of JetBlue Airways. 

2013 ATN Award Recipients

  • Woman of the Year: Angela Gittens, Director General, ACI
  • Leader of the Year: Raymond Benjamin, Secretary General, ICAO
  • George Iatrou Lifetime Achievement Award: Professor Tae Oum, President, ATRS
  • Regional Aircraft Manufacturer of the Year: Bombardier
  • Aircraft Manufacturer of the Year: Airbus
  • Engine Manufacturer of the Year: Rolls-Royce
  • Ground Handler of the Year: Çelebi Holding
  • IT Company of the Year: SITA
  • MRO Company of the Year: Lufthansa Technik
  • Airline Alliance of the Year: Star Alliance
  • Airport of the Year under 10 Million Passengers: Rajiv Gandhi International Airport
  • Airport of the Year 10-30 Million Passengers: Genève Aéroport
  • Airport of the Year: Istanbul Ataturk Airport
  • Cargo Airline of the Year: FedEx
  • Regional Airline of the Year: SilkAir
  • Low Cost Airline of the Year: AirAsia
  • Airline of the Year: Turkish Airlines

Dr Kostas Iatrou, Managing Director of Air Transport News stated, "Air Transport News Awards have already become an important event in the air transport industry with an exposure to the whole world. Also Air Transport News Awards are the only international prizes that award all the main categories of the air transport industry. It is important to recognize and honor the best of the best both personalities and companies of the commercial aviation that helped the industry to move forward."

About Air Transport News Awards

ATN Awards are the only international prizes that award all the main categories of the air transport industry. The award consists of a 24K gold-plated olive tree wreath inspired with the prize given to Olympic Games winners in Ancient Greece. http://www.atn.aero

About Airports Council International

ACI is the only worldwide association of airports. It is a non-profit organization whose prime purpose is to represent the interests of airports and to promote professional excellence in airport management and operations. ACI has 573 members who operate over 1751 airports in 174 countries and territories.