STANSTED-based VIP charter specialist Titan Airways has claimed a top industry award for the third time in five years.

Titan was named Best Passenger Charter Airline at the Baltic Air Charter Association (BACA) Luncheon Awards, held at London’s Guildhall.

The annual awards are voted for by BACA’s membership which includes air brokers, airports, business aircraft operators, suppliers and aviation consultants.

Alastair Kiernan, Titan’s commercial director, was presented with the trophy by Wendy Murphy of award sponsor Direct Air Charter and TV sports presenter John Inverdale who hosted the ceremony.

Mr Kiernan paid tribute to the work of the entire Titan team in delivering a top quality service.

Receiving such an endorsement from industry peers was especially important this year, he added, with Titan currently preparing to launch a new executive aviation division, Titan Airways Executive.

It will commence service with the acceptance of a brand new large-cabin, 13-seat transatlantic capable Legacy 650 business jet, the first of the type into the UK, which is due for delivery to Titan’s Stansted base by December.

Titan’s King Air 350 business turboprop and its 44-seat VIP Boeing 737-300 will also be marketed under the new brand.

There was also success at the BACA awards for Inflite, Titan’s preferred fixed base operator partner at Stansted Airport, which won the Best Handling Agent title for the second consecutive year.

Inflite will play a key role supporting Titan’s new aircraft which will be based at Inflite’s hangar.

Titan, which was founded in 1988, provides a bespoke charter service catering for individuals or groups of up to 265 passengers.

It operates a fleet of 12 aircraft, several of which are of “quick change” configuration allowing them to be switched for passenger or freight use at short notice.

Its “Go Now” policy, which guarantees that an aircraft can be airborne within 60 minutes of flight confirmation, helped win the firm a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2001.

The BACA is an international network for air charter professionals, including air-brokers, charter airlines, airports, business aircraft operators, freight forwarders and consultants.