European Regions Airline Association
Encyclopedia
Founded in 1980, European Regions Airline Association, ERA, is a non-profit trade association
representing almost 200 companies involved in Europe
an air transport, including airline
s, airframe
and engine manufacturers, airport
s, suppliers and service providers from all over Europe.
The Association promotes the interests of intra-European airlines by lobbying the European Commission
and other European regulatory bodies on policy matters, promoting the social and economic importance of air transport and its environmental commitments, holding an annual conference and other networking
events, publishing a monthly journal and providing expert advice and guidance on all air transport regulatory matters.
The ERA Directorate works on behalf of its members and the Board. The Directorate comprises the following departments:
REGULATORY AFFAIRS
Industry Affairs
This department handles all issues concerning air transport policy; airports and ground operations; environmental issues; airspace
issues (e.g. SESAR); user charges and traffic statistics.
Technical Services
This department incorporates air safety
and security, flight operations and maintenance.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
This department incorporates membership recruitment and retention and ERA conferences and events, including the annual General Assembly and the Regional Airline Conference.
Corporate Communications
Corporate Communications covers all electronic communications, including the ERA website and weekly News Updates; media relations
; the ERA Awards Programme; Crisis communications and all other press and PR activities.
ERA Communications Ltd
This is a separate arm of the Directorate which is responsible for producing ERA's monthly journal, Regional International, and the annual Yearbook membership directory.
Trade association
A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association or sector association, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry...
representing almost 200 companies involved in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an air transport, including airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
s, airframe
Airframe
The airframe of an aircraft is its mechanical structure. It is typically considered to include fuselage, wings and undercarriage and exclude the propulsion system...
and engine manufacturers, airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
s, suppliers and service providers from all over Europe.
The Association promotes the interests of intra-European airlines by lobbying the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
and other European regulatory bodies on policy matters, promoting the social and economic importance of air transport and its environmental commitments, holding an annual conference and other networking
Business networking
Business networking is a socioeconomic activity by which groups of like-minded businesspeople recognize, create, or act upon business opportunities. A business network is a type of social network whose reason for existing is business activity...
events, publishing a monthly journal and providing expert advice and guidance on all air transport regulatory matters.
History
- ERA was founded in SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
in 1980 with 5 airline members. - In 1987 ERA moved to its current location Fairoaks AirportFairoaks AirportFairoaks Airport is a private airfield on the edge of the village of Chobham, north of Woking, Surrey. The airport is operated by Fairoaks Airport Ltd, owned by Albermarle Fairoaks Airport Ltd....
near Chobham, SurreyChobham, SurreyChobham is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Surrey Heath in Surrey, England, about 15 minutes drive from the London railway line stations at Woking to the south and Sunningdale to the north...
, United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. - Today, ERA is the largest body representing the interests of regional airlines in Europe.
Structure
ERA is governed by a Board, which is elected from and by the membership each year. The Board is responsible for overseeing the activities and strategy of the Association.The ERA Directorate works on behalf of its members and the Board. The Directorate comprises the following departments:
- Regulatory Affairs (Industry Affairs and Technical Services)
- Business Development (Corporate Communications and ERA Communications Ltd)
REGULATORY AFFAIRS
Industry Affairs
This department handles all issues concerning air transport policy; airports and ground operations; environmental issues; airspace
Airspace
Airspace means the portion of the atmosphere controlled by a country above its territory, including its territorial waters or, more generally, any specific three-dimensional portion of the atmosphere....
issues (e.g. SESAR); user charges and traffic statistics.
Technical Services
This department incorporates air safety
Air safety
Air safety is a term encompassing the theory, investigation and categorization of flight failures, and the prevention of such failures through regulation, education and training. It can also be applied in the context of campaigns that inform the public as to the safety of air travel.-United...
and security, flight operations and maintenance.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
This department incorporates membership recruitment and retention and ERA conferences and events, including the annual General Assembly and the Regional Airline Conference.
Corporate Communications
Corporate Communications covers all electronic communications, including the ERA website and weekly News Updates; media relations
Media relations
Media relations involves working with various media for the purpose of informing the public of an organization's mission, policies and practices in a positive, consistent and credible manner. Typically, this means coordinating directly with the people responsible for producing the news and features...
; the ERA Awards Programme; Crisis communications and all other press and PR activities.
ERA Communications Ltd
This is a separate arm of the Directorate which is responsible for producing ERA's monthly journal, Regional International, and the annual Yearbook membership directory.