For Vito Gomes, awards are like buses—none come for a while, then two arrive at once. This was true earlier this month. The UAE-based aviation veteran won the Lifetime Achievement Award. He received it at the Aviation Achievement Awards (AAA) in Dubai. At the same event, he also celebrated the company he founded, Aviation Services Management (ASM). ASM received the 25 Years of Excellence Award in the Flight Support Services category.
“I am honoured to receive these awards,” Gomes told CJI. “Although the recognition carries my name, it truly belongs to every member of the ASM team. I thank them for being with me throughout this journey.”
“When we started with just 2-3 people, we never imagined it would grow into a leading provider of services for major airlines and the general aviation industry. What makes me proud is that the people who started with me are still with us today. My team is the main reason we’ve won these awards.”
Gomes began his aviation career as a trainee with Air Portugal in the early 1980s. In 1985, he joined Abu Dhabi Airport, where he worked in cargo, passenger, and ground handling.
During this time, he noticed critical service gaps between airlines, operators, and service providers. In 1994, Gomes was tasked with founding an airline from the ground up. This experience highlighted the service voids even more.
It was this realization that inspired him to establish ASM in 1998, with a vision to bridge those gaps.
