Holding on to the top Airline Excellence Award for the last 4 years, Air New Zealand has done it again. They have been crowned the 2018 Airline of the Year by international aviation website AirlineRatings.com.
The winner is judged by a panel of six judges who in conjunction have 180 years’ experience in aviation. The criteria for the award includes passenger reviews, in-flight product offerings, safety, profitability, feet age and environmental policies.
“In virtually every criteria Air New Zealand is a clear winner or equal first,” says AirlineRatings.com editor-in-chief Geoffrey Thomas. “Quite simply, Air New Zealand is an airline of first choice. And given the airline’s location and the country’s size, its performance is remarkable. No other airline has consistently demonstrated success like Air New Zealand so far this century."
This is Air NZ’s fifth consecutive year winning this top award and Chief Marketing and Customer Officer Mike Tod says, the Airline of the year accolade will be celebrated by the 11,800 staff members and as well as being a proud moment for them all.
“Our people on the ground and in the air work hard to deliver a uniquely Kiwi experience that sets us apart from competitors. It is terrific to see this effort across every part of our airline recognised by one of the most experienced judging panels in aviation," says Tod.
He says, that while they will embrace the award, they are also eager to focus on redefining the customer experience and showcasing what they have to offer in the New Year.
Last year Air New Zealand was also named Top Airline in the World US magazine Condé Nast Traveller in its 30th annual Readers' Choice Awards.