VIRGIN Atlantic Cargo is the 2014 Cargo Airline of the Year.
The presentation was made to director John Lloyd at a sparkling Air Cargo News gala event in London.
“We are extremely proud to have been voted Cargo Airline of the Year by the readers of Air Cargo News in the year when we celebrate our 30th anniversary,” he says.
“On behalf of everyone at the Virgin team, I want to thank all of our customers that took the time to vote for us. We are really passionate about customer service and we instil this in every aspect of our business.
“To win this award – where we are judged alongside the world’s leading air cargo carriers – is therefore very special indeed,” he adds.
The win comes after the carrier revealed it had achieved a turnover of £225.3m in 2013, along with a record load factor of 76 per cent – the highest in its 30-year history.
Bucking the global industry trend, Virgin’s tonnage was five per cent higher (224,500) in an airfreight market that declined by 0.5 per cent overall. Revenues were down three per cent compared to the previous year, reflecting the airline’s seven per cent reduction in capacity over the year.
Watch John Lloyd collecting his award, along with the other winners on Facebook. Click here
This year's winners:
Cargo Airline of the Year: Virgin Atlantic Cargo
Lifetime Achievement Award: Des Vertannes, global head of cargo, IATA
Best Cargo Airport (+1m): Dubai International Airport
Best Cargo Airport (-1m): Abu Dhabi Airport
Global Airfreight Forwarder of the Year: DB Schenker
Ground Handler of the Year: dnata
Cargo Charter Broker of the Year: ACS
GSSA of the Year: Air Logistics
Best African Airline: Kenya Airways
Best Airline in the Americas: American Airlines Cargo
Best Airline in Asia Pacific: Cathay Pacific
Best European Airline: Turkish Airlines Cargo
Best Middle East Cargo carrier: Emirates SkyCargo
Best All-Cargo Carrier: Cargolux
