Prestigious Award for Air New Zealand

New Zealand’s national carrier has been selected as the “Airline of the year” for 2010 by Air Transport World (ATW) magazine at its 36^th Annual Airline Industry Achievement Awards. In a press release announcing the winners, ATW stated that Air New Zealand was “being honoured for its superb commitment to safety and operational excellence, typified by the use of performance based navigation cockpit technology at weather and terrain challenged destinations, and for its superb and groundbreaking customer service that combines high-tech, passenger-friendly IT systems with high-touch and caring staff.”

The ATW editors also considered financial performance in selecting a winner and described Air New Zealand’s financial performance and fiscal management as “sterling” in what is recognised as one of the most turbulent periods in aviation history. They also said they were “strongly impressed with the airline’s leadership role in addressing environmental challenges facing the industry, including conducting the world’s first sustainable biofuel flight.”

The recognition represented by this award is a real feather in the cap of Air New Zealand and its management, which should be able to gain some marketing leverage from the resultant positive publicity.

Air Transport World is a US-based monthly magazine that covers the global airline industry, and its 45-year history means the award carries both prestige and credibility.