On Friday 1 February 2019, Southampton Airport held an award ceremony to recognise those in the airline industry who had made a difference.
Aurigny were asked to attend and were delighted to be named ‘Airline of the Year’, by the airport.
The award was gained following the drone incident at Gatwick, where Aurigny diverted all operations to Southampton to ensure it kept its customers moving.
On 19 December 2018, Gatwick airport closed due to a possible sighting of a large drone in the airport near the runway. Whilst hundreds of flights were grounded and most airlines cancelled their flights to and from Gatwick, Aurigny re-routed its Gatwick operation to Southampton.
In presenting the award it was noted that Aurigny had demonstrated its position as a community airline during the incident and had made every effort to ensure its customers got to their final destinations.
It was also commented on that whilst many airlines just cancelled flights and waited for the situation to change, Aurigny were unique in continuing operations and used initiative in finding a solution.
Aurigny Ground Operations Manager, Dave Cox, collected the award and said: “This award is truly deserved by all our staff who worked hard in challenging circumstances. The community spirit and comradery felt during the drone incident was fantastic and I feel proud to have been part of the team.”
