Top of the World

Air New Zealand has been named Airline of the Year, with judges of the Air Transport World magazine awards, “amazed and surprised at the degree of innovation that was occurring at a remote relatively small airline on the edge of the world”. Judges said the airline won for its commitment to safety and operational excellence and groundbreaking customer service that combined passenger-friendly check-in technologies with caring staff. Air New Zealand had also maintained a “sterling financial performance” during one of the most turbulent periods in aviation history while also leading the way in environmental initiatives, including making the world’s first flight using asustainable biofuel. Chief executive Rob Fyfe and a delegation of 10 top-performing staff are due to collect the award in Singapore on February 1.