Hermes is a non-for-profit organisation headquartered in Montreal, Canada, that represents individuals who are widely perceived and highly acknowledged as leading personalities and professionals in the air transport sector.
The Mission and Aims of the Organisation are:
A. To provid a worldwide forum for networking and exchange of ideas among its members;
B. To contribute to the development, progress and promotion of air transport at a global level;
C. To promote and present to the wider public the work of aviation and its contribution to the economic, political and social development around the world;
D. To collaborate, as a bridging platform, with all key stakeholders in the air transport sector, and partner with Higher Education Establishments in the field;
E. To recommend strategies and policies of added value to all the stakeholders in the air transport supply chain.
The Board of Directors of Hermes – Air Transport Organisation consists of (3):
Jeff Poole, President
Robert Deillon, Vice President & Treasurer
Dr Kostas Iatrou, Secretary & Director General
Angela Gittens, Member
Henrik Hololei, Member
Luis Felipe de Oliveira, Member
Hermes has established a close collaboration with the key stakeholders in aviation including ICAO, ACI, IATA and CANSO. Hermes has also signed Memorandums of Cooperation with the Arab Air Carriers Organisation (AACO), the European Regions Airline Association (ERA), the Latin American Airlines Association (ALTA) and the African Airlines Association (AFRAA).
Also in May 2019 Hermes signed a MoU with Salzburg Mozarteum Foundation (5). For this occasion Mozarteum Foundation presented exclusively to Hermes members Mozart’s Costa violin and they had the opportunity to listen the violin being played by Anja Morgenstern, concertmaster, Salzburg University Orchestra accompanied at the piano by Mrs Evgenia Votanopoulou Hermes member and President of Mozarteum Hellas. Mozart’s Costa violin has only traveled to eight countries and for the first time came to Greece and the Iatrou Residence.
In 2014 on the eve of the 70th anniversary of the Chicago Convention, in a spectacular event in the presence of the leaders of the air transport sector, the Centennial Awards were presented. Organised by Hermes, the awards were presented at the ICAO Headquarters in Montreal.
Given this remarkable historical context on which two major anniversaries coincided, Hermes commemorated the centenary of commercial aviation and the 70th anniversary of the Chicago Convention in two ways. First, Hermes published a book entitled 100 Years of Commercial Aviation highlighting the most momentous milestones in air transport. This
commemorative book, written in partnership with the major aviation organisations, ICAO, ACI, CANSO and IATA, and with the sponsorship of SITA, was launched at the beginning of the ceremonies.
The book provides a timeline of key milestones in commercial air transport history. It gives an understanding of the path air transport has followed to become a major contributor to modern society by bringing together people from around the world, allowing for the exploration of the wonders of our planet, and by playing an important humanitarian role, for example through emergency assistance and through opportunities for family reunification.
The air transport industry by now a staple of everyday life remains a fascinating sector. Its future will undoubtedly will bring new adventures -flights in orbit – and wondrous new technologies- such as flying with solar energy.
Second, Hermes created a special set of Centennial Air Transport Awards. Given the many and constant changes that have taken place in aviation, Hermes thought it fitting to present the Centennial Air Transport Awards to firms representing the following:
The six longest operating airlines:
-KLM (1919)
-Avianca (1919)
-Qantas (1920)
-Aeroflot (1923)
-CSA Czech Airlines (1923)
-Finnair (1923)
The five commercial airports with the longest operations history:
-Hamburg Airport (1911)
-Flughafen Bremen (1913)
-Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (1919)
-Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (1920)
-Sydney Airport (1920)
The aircraft manufacturer that been operating for the longest time: Boeing
At the ceremony Raymond Benjamin, Secretary General of ICAO, became the first Honorary Member of Hermes.
In September 2016 during a ceremony held at ICAO Headquarters in the presence of key representatives of the air transport industry gathered for the 39th Triennial Assembly of ICAO, Hermes named Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, President of the Council of ICAO, Honorary Member of Hermes (2).
In May 2019 in the 2019 Hermes AGM & Leaders Forum the aviation leaders gathered in Ekali to discuss the topic: Education and Performance in Aviation (1).
Finally, Eamonn Brennan, Director General of EUROCONTROL received the inaugural Hermes Award (4).
You could find out more about Hermes – Air Transport Organisation HERE