Gallery: 67th Laureate Award Winners In Commercial Aviation

Airbus received EASA certification of the CFM International LEAP-1A-powered version of the A321XLR and delivered the first aircraft to launch operator Iberia in November. The long-range version of the A321neo will enable airlines to operate secondary long-haul routes at much lower unit cost and has the potential to substantially change long-haul networks.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s safety center has established itself as a center of excellence for advancing research, education, and industry collaboration on topics critical to improving aerospace safety globally. Launched in 2023, The Boeing Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety supports safety- related studies by students on key topics including human factors and artificial intelligence.

Already used by GE Aerospace, MagniX and others, the NASA Electric Aircraft Testbed within the Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio, is a unique asset providing an emerging industry with the crucial capability to test megawatt-class electric propulsion systems at simulated cruise altitudes, paving the way for the electrification of regional and single-aisle airlines.

After many years in crisis, SAS Scandinavian Airlines has been transformed into a profitable business by Anko van der Werff, appointed CEO in 2021. Emerging from a fundamental restructuring via Chapter 11 bankruptcy in mid- 2024, the airline was acquired by a group of investors including Air France- KLM, which can take majority control at a later stage.

Alexis von Hoensbroech joined WestJet as CEO in late 2022 and pivoted to focus on the carrier’s strength in Western Canada, capping widebody operations, building on its position as Canada’s largest leisure carrier by acquiring Sunwing, and maintaining a competitive cost base. His leadership has preserved WestJet’s position as Canada’s premier low-cost carrier.