Shannon Group and Shannon-based companies claimed several awards at the Annual Aviation Awards 2019 at the weekend. Held at the Clayton Hotel in Dublin on Friday night, the awards are the benchmark for excellence for those demonstrating best practice and innovation in the aviation sector in Ireland.
At the Annual Aviation Awards in Dublin were (above): Breeda McLoughlin and Suzanna Kelly, Shannon Duty Free; Colm McLoughlin, Dubai Duty Free; Rita Mulqueen, Shannon IASC; and Andrew Murphy and Orla Clancy, Shannon Airport.
One of two Shannon Group awards went to the International Aviation Services Centre (IASC) – the largest aviation cluster in Ireland, with over 60 companies based in the Shannon Free Zone – for the Aviation Support Services. The second was the Airport Retailer award, which was won by Shannon Duty Free, the birthplace of airport duty free shopping globally.
The Outstanding Contribution to the Aviation Industry award went to Colm McLoughlin, Chief Executive of Dubai Duty Free, a former Assistant Manager at the Shannon Duty Free Outlet. Now leading one of the world’s largest duty-free companies, Colm was a member of a Shannon Duty Free team that was invited to Dubai by the city’s rulers to help establish the now iconic Dubai Duty Free brand.
Other Shannon winners were the Atlantic Aviation Group, which won the People Development Award, and AAV Aviation Services Training Shannon and LIT & CAE Parc Aviation, which won the Aviation Academic Education Award.
The MRO Achievement Award went to Aero Aviation in Shannon, while the Upcoming Aviation Professional Award went to Owen Bagnall, Director of Operations at Aero Inspection.
Another link with Shannon was the Aviation Leasing Achievement Award, which went to Avolon, the leasing company founded by Clare man Dómhnal Slattery, its Chief Executive and industry leader who started his career with Guinness Peat Aviation in Shannon.
Mary Considine, Acting Chief Executive, Shannon Group, said: “These awards remind us yet again of the incredible role Shannon has had on aviation, not just in Ireland but globally. Not alone did Shannon Group entities Shannon Duty Free and IASC win awards, but to have eight awards in total connected with what has been built up here over the years is a testament to the quality and calibre of the aviation companies based in Shannon.
“I would like to pay tribute to our staff who have worked hard to achieve this recognition and congratulate Colm McLoughlin on his outstanding contribution to the industry. Last week we celebrated the 80th anniversary of the first commercial flight into Shannon and Friday night’s awards illustrated the remarkable aviation heritage we have, a heritage we continue to honour today and into the future.”
