TODAY (Thursday 02 October 2025), at an awards ceremony held at its offices in Westminster, AirportsUK and the entire airports sector gathered to celebrate all the amazing work being done to ensure the safest possible environment at our terminals and on our airfields.
Commenting on why this initiative is important, AirportsUK’s chair, Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith said:
“These awards demonstrate all the activities airports take part in and are part of a bigger story that shows the passion and pride that comes with ensuring they are as safe and healthy as possible.
“It shows that we are a sector that knows that safety is a value that runs through every shift, every role, every airport, and lives that notion everyday.
“The culture all airports have built is one where wellbeing matters as much as efficiency, where vigilance is part of the daily routine, and where colleagues look out for one another like family.
“We are delighted to be able to continue to recognise the brilliant work of all our airports and to work with them and our partners to showcase their efforts.”
Earlier this year, airports up and down the country, and of all sizes, took part in UK Airports Health & Safety Week, holding events, training, demonstrations and outreach to illustrate how they live a healthy and safe culture all-year round.
The awards were held with the support of the UK Civil Aviation Authority, the Health & Safety Executive, and sponsors AIRDAT, the systems, training and consultancy services firm. The judges awarded prizes to those initiatives they felt were the most innovative, effective and meaningful, in large, medium and small airport categories, as well as recognising others with highly commended citations.
Small airport category
- Winner – Cornwall Newquay Airport
Putting on an ambitious programme of 39 sessions with over 200 bookings across three core themes, events included kit checks, wellbeing training, and problem-solving activities such as a Safety Escape Room and shoreline FOD walk.
- Highly commended – Highlands & Islands Airports
Medium airport category
- Winner – Belfast City Airport
Delivering 27 events in collaboration with 17 organisations, the airport structured each day around a key theme—Health, Safety and Emergency Planning; Aviation Safety; Airport Security; Supporting PRMs; and Staff and Passenger Wellbeing.
- Highly commended – London City Airport
Large airport category
- Winner – Manchester Airport
An outstanding example of leadership, innovation and engagement combining training, interactive pop-up events, and wellbeing initiatives. The airport’s programme raised awareness of hazards, reduced risks, and strengthened the safety culture across every department.
- Highly commended – Edinburgh Airport & Birmingham Airport
Commenting on this year’s winners, Adele Gammarano, AirportsUK’s head of regulation and compliance, said:
“It was an extremely difficult job this year to judge these awards, as the quality of submissions was the best yet, with all the entries showing amazing work.
“We are delighted that UK Airports Health & Safety Week and awards continue to grow in participation and impact, demonstrating how our members live these values day-in, day-out.
“Planning has now begun for the next UK Airports Health & Safety Week, taking place from 11 – 15 May 2026, and we cannot wait to see what airports have in store next!”
Head of the judges, Nicola Jaynes from the Health & Safety Executive, said:
“It was an honour to be asked again to judge the entries for health and safety week to see what had been achieved over the year, as well as what has been embedded into airport safety management systems over the past three years.
“It was incredible to see all the videos and pictures of the events, and I also had a good look on social media to see other highlights of the week.
“It really was no easy task, I would really love to be able to give an award to every single airport that entered, each airport has done so much to incorporate this year’s themes, and each airport had such inventive ways of making it come to fruition.”
Also commenting, Katy Johnson, from the awards’ sponsor AIRDAT, said:
“We are really proud to sponsor such a fantastic event that brings all airport communities together. Many thanks to AirportsUK for organising this event, and of course congratulations to the winners and all the airports who took part.
“At AIRDAT we are committed to putting safety at the heart of everything, a shared value, a commons responsibility and a mutual investment that links every company, team and individual working in or around an airfield.”
ENDS
