Former Virgin Blue CEO Brett Godfrey has joined the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation’s Hall of Fame after receiving the CAPA Legend’s Award at Aviation Outlook Asia in Singapore this week.
The award honours strategic leadership, vision, innovation and influence in the aviation industry.
Those already in the Hall of Fame include Tony Fernandes, CEO of AirAsia Group, Ray Webster, former CEO of easyJet and Maurice Flanagan, vice chairman, Emirates Airline
Brett Godfrey stepped down this year after 10 years as CEO of Virgin Blue during which time Virgin Blue graduated from start-up into Australia’s second largest carrier.
He also established New Zealand-based Pacific Blue, and the group’s long-haul arm V Australia.
Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation’s Peter Harbison aid that among aviation industry figures Godfrey is unique.
“A relatively low-key, albeit Type-A, CEO, he has gone where few in aviation history have ever walked,” said Harbison.
“Air fares today on most major routes in Australia are to be had for about a fifth of the price before he came along.
“Communities which despaired of ever convincing Australia’s pre-2000 high cost airline duopoly to fly there, today have multiple jet services.
“And, to a very large extent, that is due to the vision and energy of one man, along with his willing and highly committed team.
“Virgin Blue would never have become a viable airline force without his passion, his obsessiveness and even pedanticism – to use his own description of himself.â€
Other awards included:
CAPA Airline of the Year – Emirates
CEO of the Year – Air New Zealand’s Rob Fyfe.
CAPA Regional Airline of the Year – Regional Express (REX)
CAPA Airport of the Year – Airports of Thailand
CAPA Low Cost Airline of the Year – Tiger Airways.
CAPA Airline Turnaround of the Year – Garuda Indonesia
