FROM a team who saved a life to kind-hearted staff using their own money to help a stranded passenger get home.

Tonight the cream of Glasgow Airport will be rewarded with a special ceremony to mark the efforts of those who have gone above and beyond.

Now in their fifth year, the Glasgow Airport Awards give recognition to the work of 5000 staff who work at the transport hub.

AGS Airports Ltd Chief Executive Officer Derek Provan said: “These awards provide us with the ideal opportunity to celebrate Glasgow Airport’s continued success.

“More importantly, they provide the perfect platform to pay tribute to the commitment made by so many people to ensure we delivered a fantastic customer experience for the record 9.9 million passengers we welcomed through the airport last year.

“We should rightly be proud that again this year we received so many strong nominations from all aspects of the airport’s operation.

“From airlines and handling agents to retailers, facilities management partners and suppliers, we were inundated with so many instances where people went above and beyond for our passengers.”

The gongs, held at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Glasgow city centre, are held in 11 categories.

KELLY MCMILLAN knew what it was like to wake up at Christmas without presents under the tree.

So she was determined to make sure other children did not suffer the same experience.

Kelly’s dad, who she describes as “the nicest, gentlest person”, developed an alcohol addiction and her family suffered as a result.

They were strapped for cash and Christmas was an extremely difficult time of year.

During Christmas 2016 Kelly - a new mum - decided to take up a collection of baby foods, clothes and toys to be donated to Lanarkshire Baby Bank.

She couldn’t believe how generous people were and the 33-year-old collected £1300 worth of goods and money donations.

Last year saw Kelly’s dad mark being 10 years sober and the EasyJet crew member wanted to do something special to mark the occasion.

She decided to hold another toy drive, for disadvantaged children in Renfrewshire with the toys and goods going to social work to be given out.

Kelly said: “I made a video talking about my childhood experience with my dad and saying that I didn’t want any other children to go through what I had. I put it on Facebook and before long it had 50,000 views.

“It is important that children have happy Christmas memories.”

Kelly’s colleague put her forward for the Making a Difference Award.   

WHEN their colleague collapsed, staff from across Glasgow Airport mobilised to help save his life.

Security staff member Manus McLaughlin went into cardiac arrest last summer while on duty in the main airport terminal. 

Laura Hamilton from the VisitScotland desk raised the alarm by calling 222 – the airport’s version of 999 – and went to help Manus. 
She was joined by Duty Safety Officer Jeanette Paton and Eric Gordon from Border Force. 

Eric had only completed his CPR training a week before while Jeanette had been qualified for one month.

But Jeanette performed CPR on Manus and Eric set up one of the airport’s defibrillators as they waited for the ambulance crew to arrive at the airport. 

Airport Duty Mananger Mark Scott, a former Deputy Safety Officer and well-versed in cardiac arrest situations, also arrived to help.

They performed CPR until ambulance crew arrived and took Manus to the Golden Jubilee Hospital where he underwent major heart surgery.

The actions of the team saved Manus’s life and he has since made a full recovery.

Mark said: "Manus came back in to visit everyone and it was great to know that we had helped him.

"You don't often have such a good outcome and so we were proud to have been able to help."

It was the second time in three days Mark had to perform CPR in the airport and has carried out the first aid procedure nine times.

He added: "Of those nine times I have had three survive.

"You know that you might just be keeping someone alive until they get to hospital and their family can say goodbye but even that is something.

"If they were at home they wouldn't have that help."

IRENE Robinson and Cheryl Murray helped a young man who was trying to make his way home. 

His family had attempted to book his flight over the phone, but this was declined several times. 

Irene was able to speak the increasingly distressed passenger’s native Portuguese language and reassure him. 

Both Irene and Cheryl shared the cost of the young boy’s flight home - a gesture above and beyond the call of duty and hugely appreciated by the passenger and his family.

The pair have been put forward for Best Customer Intervention of the Year.  

The awards include: Best Customer Intervention of the Year, Customer Service Team of the Year, Customer Service Employee of the Year, Campus Safety, Making A Difference, Retail/Caterer of the Year, Soaring Success of the Year, Airport/Partner Team of the Year, Airport Employee of the Year, Unsung Hero and Airline of the Year.

Mr Provan added: “Those individuals and teams shortlist represent and uphold our values and played their part by delivering for our customers and always going the extra mile.

“Congratulations to each of our shortlisted candidates and good luck on the night.”

Last year Glasgow Airport carried more than 9.9 million passengers – the most ever in its 52-year history.

The airport also secured more than 30 routes and services in 2017, including Delta Air Line’s New York JFK service, Loganair’s Bergen service and Lufthansa’s Munich service.

The airport also saw a number of major infrastructure investment programmes last year, including an £8 million runway resurfacing project and an £8m project to reconfigure the western end of the airport campus to increase stand capacity.