Andrew Walters, chairman of the

UK’s Southend and Biggin Hill airports has won a coveted award for services to aviation.

He took the 2003 European Business Aviation Award at the EBACE convention in Geneva earlier this month. The accolade recognises Walters’ dedication, hard work and relentless lobbying in the interests of aviation in general and, more precisely, business aviation.

He picked up the award in the presence of around 6,000 industry professionals at the show.

“I am very proud to be a part of the business aviation industry. I have been a pilot, a charter broker and freight airline operator,” said Walters.

“Now as an airport operator, there are just as many challenges and it’s great fun working with great people to bring the benefits of aviation to more and more members of the community. I am indebted to all our staff for their help in making this award possible.”

In 1990, Andrew Walters founded Regional Airports Ltd (RAL) which, in 1994, took over Southend and Biggin Hill Airports and more recently became the operator of Northolt Handling, providing services for civilian passengers at RAF Northolt.