The 51st annual ATW Airline Industry Achievement Awards have taken place in Lisbon, Portugal, honouring leaders and operators in commercial aviation.
- All Nippon Airways received the Airline of the Year award for financial performance, management innovation, customer experience improvements, and sustainability efforts.
- Nicholas E. Calio earned the Lifetime Achievement Award for contributions as president and CEO of Airlines for America since 2011, where he restructured the association to influence policy on safety, security, and air traffic control modernisation amid record travel volumes.
- Cathay Pacific Airways won the Eco-Airline of the Year for environmental initiatives.
- Scoot secured the Value Airline of the Year for operational resilience and workforce value.
- Sun Country took the Airline Market Leader award for business strategy development.
- Cathay Cargo claimed Cargo Operator of the Year.
- Qatar Airways Cargo received the Humanitarian Force for Good award, partnered with non-profit Airlink.
- Martin Gauss, chairman and CEO of airBaltic, won the Joseph S. Murphy Leadership Excellence award.
Nicholas E. Calio: Lifetime Achievement Award Winner
Nicholas E. Calio served as president and CEO of Airlines for America from 2011 until his retirement at the end of 2025, transforming the trade association into a key policy influencer for U.S. passenger and cargo airlines. He advocated for air traffic control reforms, opposed market restrictions and regulations, and fostered collaborations with government, labour, and international partners to enhance safety and efficiency during a period of unprecedented air travel growth.
Calio, a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University and Case Western Reserve University School of Law, began his career in the White House under Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush before founding a lobbying firm. His efforts earned multiple honours, including the 2025 Pogue Lifetime Achievement Award and the Bryce Harlow Foundation’s Business-Government Relations Award.
