A4A’s Calio Named 2025 Pogue Award Recipient

Airlines for America (A4A) President and CEO Nick Calio will be presented with the 2025 L. Welch Pogue Award for lifetime in achievement in aviation.

The award is given in honor of Pogue, the former chairman of the U.S. Civil Aviation Board and a U.S. delegate at the Chicago Convention. It is presented jointly by Aviation Week and the International Club of Washington.

Under Calio, Washington-based trade association A4A rebranded and refocused on shaping policy by building consensus and working collaboratively with industry, labor, U.S. Congress, the executive branch, federal agencies foreign governments and other groups.

Calio is a staunch advocate for innovation and modernization of the air traffic control (ATC) system in the U.S., imploring Congress to pass an emergency funding package to make fundamental changes and investments to address the controller shortage and outdated ATC technology while providing predictability and stability for future funding.

On the international stage, Calio has spearheaded A4A’s opposition to market access restrictions, onerous taxation and over-burdensome regulations that would negatively impact U.S. airlines’ global competitiveness.

Earlier this year, Air Transport World announced that Calio was the 2025 ATW Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.

Calio has announced that he intends to step down from his A4A role at the end of this year.

Incoming IAC President Leslie Abbott said, “Nick Calio has been a steady hand and a visionary leader in our often unpredictable industry. Airlines, consumers, and our nation owe him a great deal of gratitude.”

Calio said, “I have been fortunate to work for and with some of the sharpest minds in the business over the past 14 years and I have learned from their counsel and benefited from their enduring friendship.