Nicola Clark, Staff Writer at the International Herald Tribune, has been awarded the ERA Hank McGonagle Journalism Award 2011/12 for an article reporting on the aviation industry’s resistance to the European Commission’s plan to scrap the ban on carry-on liquids in hand luggage earlier this year. The Award was announced by Mike Ambrose, director general, ERA, at a prestigious Awards Ceremony in Rome last night, as part of the Association’s annual General Assembly.
Commenting on the win, Mike Ambrose, Director General, ERA said: “Nicola’s piece was an accurate yet succinct report of the facts surrounding the complex and controversial issue of carry-on liquids. She thoroughly explored the reasons behind the aviation industry’s concerns with lifting the ban at that time, while presenting views and arguments from both sides in an unbiased manner. We were impressed with her understanding of the issue and the clarity in which the arguments were presented. It is rare to see such objective reporting in today’s journalism.
The ERA Journalism Award was introduced in 2002 and is named after Hank McGonagle of GE-Aviation who recognised the important role played by the media in influencing the framework for the development of intra-European air transport. The Award recognises excellent, accurate and discerning reporting on topical issues related to the intra-European air transport industry. The winner is selected by the ERA Directorate.
Nicole Huguenot, Deputy Manager from French carrier Brit Air, was honoured with the ERA Director General’s Commendation for Services to Intra-European Air Transport. Since December 2009, Nicole has represented ERA members’ interests in the EASA Flight Time Limitations Drafting Group. She organised an ERA members’ workshop in Paris in March this year to establish ERA comments to the published Notice of Proposed Amendment on this sensitive issue. Subsequently, Nicole has been the ERA representative on the EASA Review Group which expects to issue a Comment Response Document on FTL by the end of 2011. As Nicole was unable to attend the Awards Ceremony, the trophy was presented to President & CEO of Brit Air, Mr Marc Lamidey by Tony Merrigan, Head of Customer Relations from the Commendation’s sponsor, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA).
