Asiana, AirNZ among ATW award winners
WASHINGTON – Asiana Airlines was named Airline of the Year for 2009 by Air Transport World.
Other winners of ATW’s 35th annual industry achievement awards include Flybe, which was named Regional Airline of the Year, and ILFC Chairman and CEO Steven Udvar-Hazy, who received the Joseph S. Murphy Industry Service Award.
Norwegian was named winner of the Market Leadership Award and Air New Zealand received the Public Relations Award.
In choosing Asiana, ATW editors cited its superb commitment to passenger safety and operational excellence as reflected in industry-leading dispatch reliability and engine inflight shutdown rates, as well as the excellence of its customer service.
Editors also took into account Asiana’s financial performance, with aggregate earnings of $542 million between 2004 and 2007.
Exeter, UK-based Flybe, the Regional winner, “is an industry trendsetter that has demonstrated innovation, adaptation and a willingness to take calculated business risks over its 30-year history as it has grown organically and through acquisition to become Europe’s largest regional airline,” ATW said.
Udvar-Hazy was honored for his philanthropic efforts that led to creation of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum.
The award also celebrates the leadership role he plays in challenging aircraft and engine makers to achieve the utmost efficiency and reliability
Norwegian’s award recognises the airline’s adaptation of the low-cost model to the Scandinavian market and its successful blend of low fares and customer-focused information technology to create a new and profitable business model.
ANZ was cited for creating an atmosphere of candor and open access to senior management and for effectively communicating the leadership role the airline has taken on environmental issues.
The awards will be presented on February 17 in Washington at ATW’s gala awards dinner at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Centre.
Ian Jarrett
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025