PremiAir scoops ‘Best Executive Aviation Company’ accolade at Business Travel 2010 Awards

Wednesday 20th January, 2010

PremiAir, the leading executive helicopter charter operator, was voted ‘Best Executive Aviation Company’ at the 2010 Business Travel Awards, which took place on Monday evening at a glamorous awards ceremony, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London. Group Managing Director David McRobert accepted the award from John O'Hagan, Senior Vice President, Diners Club International.

The award marks the fifth consecutive annual win for PremiAir in this fiercely contested category and the first win for the newly merged Business Travel World and Buying Business Travel titles. In a changed format this year contestants had to supply a comprehensive editorial entry on why they felt they were eligible for the title.

PremiAir has won Buying Business Travel’s Diamond Award every year since 2006. Panacea Publishing’s takeover of the title in 2009 made for an even tougher competition this year. Shortlisted candidates were scrutinised by a top line-up of judges representing a wide range of companies, together with leading business travel journalists.

“We are absolutely delighted to receive this endorsement from the business travel fraternity,” said David McRobert. “This award is testament to the dedication of all the people at PremiAir – our charter team, operations and our engineers who keep our aircraft flying day in and day out. This accolade is for them.”

PremiAir, now in its 30th year, has continued to be at the forefront of the industry, introducing new initiatives and expanding its business over the last 12-months, despite the testing times the aviation industry and the economy has faced.

PremiAir’s popular London Heliport Shuttle Service was introduced in February providing a seamless connection between key business airports throughout the UK. In May PremiAir became the European launch customer of ‘Aurion’, a prestigious new service providing the only international network of best-in-class executive helicopter operators.

Von Essen Hotels, PremiAir’s sister company is currently progressing with the construction of the new five star luxury boutique Hotel Verta, which will be integrated with an all new passenger terminal at The London Heliport, which is managed and operated by PremiAir.

The state-of-the-art terminal facilities will provide a full range of services more commonly seen at the highest quality private jet handling locations – all in the centre of London at the capital’s only CAA licensed heliport. “The much updated London Heliport will change the image of executive helicopter travel and will be a world first for the executive helicopter industry,” said David McRobert.

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Picture Caption - From left: Matt Reynolds, Charlie Hounslow, Neil Gibson (with trophy) and Matt Ashby from PremiAir’s Aircraft Management & Charter Team.

Editor’s Notes:

Established 30 years ago, PremiAir is the UK’s largest Executive Helicopter operating and charter company. It has bases at Blackbushe, Oxford and Farnborough Airports in the UK

PremiAir is privately owned by the von Essen Group and is a sister company of von Essen Hotels, which owns and operates 28 luxury hotels throughout the UK and Europe.

PremiAir also manages and operates The London Heliport at Battersea, which remains the UK capital’s only commercial heliport. New ultra modern business aviation terminal facilities will be opening late 2009 connected to a new luxury 5 star hotel development.

PremiAir flies approximately 4,000 charter hours a year with its modern fleet of Sikorsky 76s and Eurocopter Twin Squirrels. It has 18 Executive Helicopters on management programmes; providing turnkey services to their owners.

PremiAir’s maintenance business is also an FAA, EASA, CAA Part 145-approved organization; it is a Sikorsky Service Centre for the S76 (all models), a Bell Customer Service Facility for Bell 222, 230 and 430 and is a Hawker Beechcraft Authorised Service Centre for their Beechcraft Model range. PremiAir is also one of the largest Eurocopter maintenance centres in Europe supporting EC155, AS365 Dauphin and AS355 Twin Squirrel. The company also provides for support services on the AgustaWestland 109 model range and is a Pratt & Whitney Canada recognised maintenance facility and is a distributor for Honeywell, Rockwell Collins and numerous other equipment vendors.

PremiAir boasts Part 21J and G design and manufacturer approvals for aircraft modifications. With a large and experienced design office team, the company provides full refurbishment and upgrade services on most executive helicopter types and a wide range of fixed wing aircraft, including the full Beechcraft model range. Fixed wing aircraft are maintained at a new facility at Oxford Airport, which opened in October last year.

PremiAir is a leading player in the provision of pilots to the UK Police Forces with contracts with UK / Ireland Police Air Support units.

PremiAir Global is the company’s aircraft sales and brokerage business. It specialises in acquiring and selling new and used helicopters and business jets and is based at Farnborough Airport, UK.
Buying Business Travel Diamond Award Winner 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 Best Executive Aviation Provider. Luxury Travel Winner Best Private Charter Company 2008