Integrated Air Traffic Management Technology Solutions

NAV CANADA is pleased to announce that the Company has been named for the second consecutive year – and the third time in its history – as the winner of the IATA Eagle Award as world’s “Best Air Navigation Service Provider”.

The Eagle Award is chosen by an independent panel on behalf of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). It was presented to NAV CANADA yesterday at the IATA Annual General Meeting in Singapore.

“Congratulations to NAV CANADA on their third Eagle. It is a great partner and a global leader in delivering top class performance,” said IATA Director General and CEO Giovanni Bisignani. 

“Being named the Eagle Award winner is a great honour for everyone in our Company,” said John Crichton, NAV CANADA President & CEO. “That includes first and foremost our employees, but also the other key stakeholders at the heart of this organization, including airline customers, business and general aviation, unions and the federal government. By keeping our eye on the original vision of NAV CANADA – through good times and bad – we have earned the recognition of customers who fly to the four corners of the globe.”

The Eagle Award honours air navigation service providers and airports for outstanding performance in customer satisfaction, cost efficiency and continuous improvement.

In his acceptance message, Crichton emphasized the importance of employees, when he said: “I would like to dedicate this Eagle Award to the employees of NAV CANADA. They are the ones who provide safe, modern and efficient services to some 12 million air traffic movements a year in a country that is at the crossroads of the world’s air traffic.

“When our employees provide service to a global carrier entering our airspace and bound for a destination in North America or to the other side of the globe, they know that the world is indeed watching. That is the reason this Award means so much to all of us at NAV CANADA.”

In its news release announcing this latest award, IATA stated: “This is the third Eagle Award for NAV CANADA, following previous awards in 2010 and 2001.  Its strong track record of working closely with its customers to improve performance through regular and meaningful consultations, combined with technical and operational investments supported by extensive cost-benefit analysis, place it at the forefront of the industry’s air navigation service providers.  NAV CANADA is also focused on cost efficiency. Strong cost controls enable a continuing freeze in charges and reduced cost base.”

NAV CANADA put the 2010 Eagle Award on tour visiting its major facilities across Canada. “That Eagle Award tour, which is still underway, has meant a great deal to everyone in our Company – and now it will be even more special, as we take the time to celebrate this “Double Eagle”, Crichton said. 

But he also added that the Award is not only the customer’s way of saying “good job.” It is also a challenge to all air navigation service providers to keep striving toward safer, more efficient and more advanced services. “I would say that’s pretty good motivation for us to continue to find ways to add value for you, our customers,” he said.

NAV CANADA, the country's civil air navigation services provider, is a private sector, non share capital corporation financed through publicly-traded debt. With operations from coast to coast to coast, NAV CANADA provides air traffic control, flight information, weather briefings, aeronautical information services, airport advisory services and electronic aids to navigation.

IATA (International Air Transport Association) represents some 230 airlines comprising 93% of scheduled international air traffic. You can follow us at http://twitter.com/iata2press for news specially catered for the media.

For further information, please contact:
John Morris
Director, Communications
NAV CANADA
(613) 563-7032

Anthony Concil
Director, Corporate Communications
IATA
+41 22 770 2967

NAV CANADA Media Information Line: 1-888-562-8226