OREANDA-NEWS. November 3, 2011. Volga-Dnepr Airlines has become the first airline to be voted ‘Best Cargo Charter Airline’ for three years in succession in the Baltic Air Charter Association’s (BACA) prestigious annual awards.

The award was presented to Volga-Dnepr — the world’s largest transporter of outsize and heavyweight air cargo — at BACA’s 2011 Excellence Awards ceremony in London, attended by hundreds of senior executives from the international air charter industry. Dmitry Grishin, UK Sales Director of Volga-Dnepr, accepted the award on behalf of the airline from Shahe Ouzounian, Chief Operating Officer of sponsors Chapman Freeborn Airchartering.

The Baltic Air Charter Association conducts an annual survey of its members to identify the ‘best in class’ companies in various award categories. In the first stage of the selection process to find the Best Cargo Charter Airline over the previous year, members are asked to name any cargo airline in the world they feel deserves the award. From this, BACA creates a list of the top three carriers and these go forward to a final vote by the Association’s members, who include airbrokers, charter airlines, airports, business aircraft operators, freight forwarders, consultants and others.

Dick Gilbert, Chairman of the Baltic Air Charter Association, said: “Being voted Best Cargo Charter Airline gives a significant status to the winner because it means that they have effectively competed with every cargo airline in the world, and won. Specifically, our members are voting for excellence with regard to the response and interface between the operator and the broker and we are looking for quality in all aspects of the charter process. For Volga-Dnepr Airlines to have won the Best Cargo Charter Airline award for three years in a row is a magnificent achievement and, in particular, a reflection of the quality of its commercial department — which is the ‘shop-front’ of the airline — and the reliability and expertise of its operations and technical teams.”

Dennis Gliznoutsa, Group Commercial Director (Charters), said: “The most prestigious and highly valued awards are those that are voted for by our customers. That is why we are so proud to have been chosen once again as Best Cargo Charter Airline by the Baltic Air Charter Association because its members are the leaders in our industry. By its very nature, we all work in a sector that is fast-moving, complex and delivers solutions often outside of the capability of scheduled carriers. We are proud to have a team of professionals in Volga-Dnepr that not only rise to these challenges year after year but that also earn the respect and support of our customers. This award is a wonderful conclusion to our 21st year of operations.”