World Airline Award winners

Skytrax recently held its annual World Airline Awards recognizing Virgin Atlantic as the airline with the best Business Class Lounge and British Airways as the best transatlantic airline.

The Buisness Lounge in question is the Clubhouse at Heathrow Airport which houses a cinema, cocktail bar, pool, spa, and hair salon.

Steve Ridgeway, the airline’s chief executive officer said: “We’re thrilled that our Heathrow Clubhouse has been chosen as the world’s best haven for business travellers. Whether it’s on the ground or in the air, our teams will never stop delivering the innovative products that all travellers should experience during their journeys. Thank you to everyone who voted for us.”

The award for the World’s Best Airline went to Singapore Airlines who also scooped up the prize for Best Buisness Class.

Skytrax is a survey organization who makes the awards, gathering information and votes over an 11 month period each year. Chief Executive Officer of the company, Edward Plaisted said: “The jostle for Airline of the Year title was fairly constant throughout the survey period, and in particular the top five positions fluctuated on quite a regular basis - before Singapore Airlines clinched first place in the final count.”

He added: “I must in particular highlight the performance of the other top five airlines - Thai Airways taking second position (climbing from fourth in 2006), Cathay Pacific (a former winner of the title) ranked in third place, Qatar Airways securing fourth position, and a new entrant to the Top Five group, with Qantas taking fifth position.”

Other awards went to Emirates for Best Airline for In-flight Entertainment although Singapore was voted second in this category also.

Malaysia Airlines won Best Cabin Staff with Singapore in another close second finish. And although BA won the prize for the Best Transatlantic Airline, in the overall airline rankings it did quite poorly, placing in tenth.

www.virgin-atlantic.co