A global airline industry magazine has named Air New Zealand the world's top airline for the second time in three years.
The United States-based Air Transport World (ATW) gave the New Zealand airline top honours in its annual awards, which have been running for nearly 40 years, picking it as the best airline in the world in the past 12 months.
The judges described Air New Zealand as an industry trendsetter in a number of areas, including product innovation and social media, and praised it for its staff motivation.
The airline was also commended for its efforts in helping communities affected by the Christchurch earthquakes.
Air New Zealand also won the airline of the year award in 2010, and chief executive Rob Fyfe said another win was a huge thrill.