-- Singapore Airlines Scoops Two Prestigious Awards
-- Cathay Pacific Retains Best Transpacific Airline Title
-- Korean Air Wins Best Economy Class
-- Qantas Named Best Airline Based In Australasia/Pacific
-- Seoul Incheon Named Best Airport
BEIJING, April 20 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- British Airways was the big winner at the 25th Anniversary OAG Airline of the Year Awards that were held in the presence of HRH The Princess Royal at a gala dinner on Tuesday 17 April at The Landmark in London.
Her Royal Highness presented the coveted Spirit of Flight trophy for Airline of the Year to British Airways CEO, Willie Walsh. British Airways also picked up awards as Best Transatlantic Airline, Best Europe-Asia/Australasia Airline, and best airline based in Western Europe, and was shortlisted in three other categories.
The Asia Pacific region performed extremely well, with Singapore Airlines taking home two awards: Best International First Class and Best Airline based in Asia. It also was shortlisted for the overall Airline of the Year title.
Last year's Airline of the Year, Cathay Pacific, retained its crown as "Best Transpacific Airline" and Qantas was once again named Best Airline based in Australasia/Pacific.
Seoul Incheon International fought off extremely stiff competition to win the "Best Airport" crown. It just edged out last year's winner Singapore Changi which was commended, and also beat Amsterdam Schiphol, Dubai International, New York JFK and San Francisco International. Korea was a double winner with Korean Air, shortlisted for the first time this year, winning "Best Economy Class".
AirAsia and Virgin Blue were shortlisted for Best Low Cost/No Frills Airline but were edged out by jetBlue.
EasyJet founder, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, was presented with this year's Lifetime Achievement Award by HRH The Princess Royal. His Lifetime Achievement Award recognised the impact that EasyJet and the easyGroup had made on the European aviation and travel scene.
The annual "OAG Airline of the Year Awards" celebrates the very best in global air travel and publicly recognises the highest standards within the industry. The Awards are in association with TravelPlus; Le Royal Hotels was the Official Sponsor of the event, and Boeing was the champagne reception sponsor.
The complete list of winners and nominees for the 25th Anniversary OAG Airline of the Year Awards follows, and can be accessed at http://www.oag.com/airline+of+the+year.
The Winners and Nominees for the 25th OAG Airline of the Year Awards
OAG Airline of the Year 2007: British Airways
Aeromexico, Continental Airlines, CSA Czech Airlines, Emirates, Qantas,
South African Airways, Singapore Airlines
Best Airline Based in Asia: Singapore Airlines
Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Thai Airways
Best Airline Based in Australasia/Pacific: Qantas
Air New Zealand, Air Tahiti Nui, Virgin Blue
Best Airline Based in North America: Continental Airlines
Air Canada, American Airlines (Commended), Delta Air Lines, United Airlines
Best Airline Based in Central/S.America & Caribbean: Aeromexico
Copa Airlines, LAN Airlines, Mexicana, TAM Brazilian Airlines
Best Airline Based in Western Europe: British Airways
Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic
Best Airline Based in Central/Eastern Europe: CSA Czech Airlines
Aeroflot Russian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, MALEV Hungarian Airlines
Best Airline Based in the Middle East/Indian Sub-Continent: Emirates
El Al, Etihad, Jet Airways, Qatar Airways (Commended)
Best Airline Based in Africa: South African Airways
Air Mauritius, Egyptair, Kenya Airways
Best Transatlantic Airline: British Airways
American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic
Best Transpacific Airline: Cathay Pacific
Air New Zealand, American Airlines, Qantas, United Airlines
Best Europe - Asia/Australasia Airline: British Airways
Air France, Emirates, Lufthansa, Qantas
Best Low Cost/No Frills Airline: JetBlue
AirAsia, bmibaby, easyJet, Southwest Airlines, Virgin Blue
Best Economy/Coach Class: Korean Air
American Airlines, British Airways, Continental Airlines, Singapore Airlines
Best Business/Executive Class: Continental Airlines
American Airlines, British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic (Commended)
Best International First Class: Singapore Airlines
British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Korean Air,
Best Airport: Seoul Incheon International
Amsterdam Schiphol, Dubai International, New York JFK, San Francisco International, Singapore Changi (Commended)
About the Awards
-- These annual awards were established in 1982.
-- The awards are presented by OAG to recognise and celebrate the
achievements of airlines and airports around the globe
-- The award is a specially commissioned bronze figure called "Spirit
of Flight" by sculptor Sara Ingleby-Mackenzie
-- These Awards are based on votes polled from a worldwide audience of
business travellers who subscribe to OAG travel information and
planning products.
-- Votes are collected, processed and analysed by an independent research
company.
-- Sponsors of individual award categories:
787 Dreamliner: Best Airline based in North America
Airport Express Alliance: Best International First Class
Boeing: Best Transatlantic Airline
Hahn Air Systems: Best Low Cost/No Frills Airline
Odgers Ray & Berndtson: Best Airline based in Middle East/Indian Sub-
continent
Peel Airports Group: Best Economy/Coach Class
Powertraveller: Best Transpacific Airline
Sabre Airline Solutions: Best Business/Executive Class
Sabre Travel Network: Best Airline based in Western Europe
SideStep: Best Airline based in Asia
TravelPlus: Best Airport
TTG: Best Europe - Asia/Australasia Airline
Zagreb Airport: Best Airline based in Central/Eastern Europe
About OAG
OAG is a global flight information and data solutions company with 9 offices in Europe, the Americas and Asia. It provides data, marketing and solutions to the corporate, commercial aviation and cargo sectors. More information about the company, its products and its services is available on the OAG web sites http://www.oag.com , http://www.oagdata.com and http://www.oagcargo.com .
OAG is part of Commonwealth Business Media ( http://www.cbizmedia.com ), a wholly owned subsidiary of United Business Media plc ( http://www.unitedbusinessmedia.com ).
