AVL’s Tina Kinsey Named Recipient of the 2025 ACI-NA Air Service Achievement Award

June 9, 2025

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA), the trade association for commercial service airports in the United States and Canada, today announced Tina Kinsey, the Chief Administrative Officer at the Greater Asheville Regional Airport Authority, operator of the Asheville Regional Airport (AVL), as the recipient of the 2025 Air Service Achievement Award.  The award was presented during the 2025 ACI-NA JumpStart Air Service Development Conference in Indianapolis, IN.

“As an innovative and strategic thinker with deep ties to her local community, Tina exemplifies the very best of the airport industry. Under her leadership, Asheville Regional Airport has expanded its air service, offering passengers more choice and competition,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke. “Through her thoughtful approach to airline engagement and community outreach, Tina has helped raise AVL’s visibility and influence across the industry. Her contributions reflect a deep understanding of what it takes to grow air service in meaningful, sustainable ways.”

The Air Service Achievement Award honors individuals who have made exceptional contributions to expanding and improving air service. The award celebrates leadership, vision, and lasting impact on the industry while promoting a spirit of collaboration and progress.

Kinsey has spent the past 15 years establishing herself as a respected and forward-thinking leader in air service development. At AVL, she has championed innovative strategies to grow air service while strengthening community engagement. Under her leadership, AVL has evolved from a primarily regional airport into a competitive air service market, increasing seat capacity by more than 230 percent and adding over 20 new nonstop destinations. By attracting budget carriers and expanding access from major U.S. cities, her work has driven regional tourism and elevated AVL’s role in the national air travel network.

Kinsey’s recognition with the 2025 Air Service Achievement Award underscores the critical role of visionary leadership in shaping the future of air travel. Her work at AVL serves as a model for how strategic air service development can strengthen communities, enhance connectivity, and support long-term industry growth.

 

About ACI-NA

Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) represents local, regional, and state governing bodies that own and operate commercial airports in the United States and Canada. ACI-NA member airports enplane more than 95 percent of the domestic and virtually all the international airline passenger and cargo traffic in North America. Approximately 380 aviation-related businesses are also members of ACI-NA, providing goods and services to airports. Collectively, U.S. airports support more than 11.5 million jobs and account for $1.4 trillion in economic activity – or more than seven percent of the total U.S. GDP. Canadian airports support 405,000 jobs and contribute C$35 billion to Canada’s GDP. Learn more at www.airportscouncil.org.