Named The Recipient Of The Group's 2018 Distinguished Achievement Award

The Wings Club Foundation will honor International Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer, Willie Walsh, with the 2018 Distinguished Achievement Award. Acknowledging outstanding accomplishments in the field of aviation, The Wings Club Foundation will present this award on October 19, 2018, at the 76th Annual Awards Gala to be held at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City.

Willie Walsh became chief executive of International Airlines Group (IAG) in January 2011, joining from British Airways where he was chief executive from October 2005.

IAG is the parent company of Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, LEVEL and Vueling. It is one of the world's largest airline groups with 546 aircraft flying to 279 destinations and carrying more than 105 million passengers each year.

Previous to his role at British Airways, Willie was chief executive of Aer Lingus from October 2001. He joined the airline in 1979 as a cadet pilot and became a captain in 1990 before moving into management roles.

Originally from Dublin, Willie is also chairman of the Ireland's National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA).

The Wings Club's Distinguished Achievement Award has been presented annually since 1975. Notable past recipients include Neil Armstrong, Senator John Glenn, President George H. W. Bush, Brigadier General Charles E. Yeager, Frederick Smith, Steven Udvar-Hazy, T. Allan McArtor, and W. James McNerney, Jr., as well as 14 present and former airline CEO's including, Robert Crandall, Herbert Kelleher, Gordon Bethune, Sir Colin Marshall, Wolfgang Mayrhuber, Sir Richard Branson, Dave Barger and Gary Kelly.

(Source: The Wings Club Foundation news release)

FMI: www.wingsclub.org