MELBOURNE: November 13, 2018. IAG Cargo Technical Standards executive Gabriella Tamasi was named as Best Industry Partner at the recent International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA) 2018 conference.
Founded in 1979, IPATA has over 447 members in 84 countries and says the use of commercial airlines’ cargo systems are the safest and humane way of moving animals around the world.
Citing her “willingness to go the extra mile”, the IPATA award noted Ms Tomasi’s service as a Board member for multiple pet industry associations and her “work to perfect shipping procedures and to provide educational opportunities for everyone”.
The 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award went to Estelle Fourie of Animal Travel Services for four decades of dedicated service to the pet shipping industry; Joanne Lim from Ricted Kennels Pte won the Best Operational Service Provider Award “for her outstanding professionalism and total perfection in pet shipping”; the Excellence Award was given to Gerry Pahl of Petexportvet for his “exceptional and personal service” in handling snub-nosed dogs in transit; and the Millie Woolf Memorial Leadership Award, named after one of the founding members of IPATA, went to Thierry Lim of Ricted Kennels “for his many years serving as a role model of what a professional should be”.
Last but not least, having won the Partner Award in 2017 and 2015, Air France/KLM/Martinair Cargo won the most votes as the 'Best Pet Shipping Airline for Asia & Oceania'.
The award – subdivided into America, Europe, Asia & Oceania and the Middle East & Africa – was a new category this year with IPATA members invited to vote based on communication, reliability, price, care during transfer and compliance with IATA regulations.
Gerald Bergkamp, director Specialties AFKLMP Cargo commented: “We are honoured to have won this award. Such a clear sign of appreciation for being specialists in pet shipping is indeed a great compliment for all the work we do on a daily basis”.
Pictured: attendees at the 2018 IPATA conference in Melbourne.
