Air NZ tops airline honours third year in a row

Air New Zealand Dreamliner Boeing 787-9.

Air New Zealand has taken top honours for the third year in a row from AirlineRatings.com.

The Perth-based rating site has given Air New Zealand the top award for in-flight innovations, record-breaking financial performance, operational safety, environmental leadership and motivation of its staff that it says have stamped the airline as an industry trendsetter.

AirlineRatings.com was founded by veteran aviation journalist and commentator Geoffrey Thomas who said the editorial team had also awarded the airline best premium economy class and best economy class.

"Air New Zealand has catapulted to the top tier of the industry over the past five years and now is one of the industry's most awarded."

Thomas said Air New Zealand was an airline of first choice and "given the airline's location and the country's size, its performance is stunning."

Qantas took out best domestic airline service, best catering and best lounges.
Etihad Airways - which boasts butler serviced "residences" on its Airbus A380s - was voted best first class for its new upgraded product unveiled late last year.

Business class seats on Virgin Australia's transtasman flights Boeing 737-800.

Singapore Airlines picked up best business class and also took best in-flight entertainment.

Virgin Australia won best New World carrier, which recognises the transformation that airlines were making to try to meet rapidly changing market demands. Virgin and its partner Virgin Atlantic also picked up best cabin crew.

For value and safety in the low cost airline sector the editors selected Virgin America (Americas), Norwegian (Europe), Kulula.com (Africa/Middle-East) and Scoot for Asia/Pacific.

The top 10:

• Air NZ
• Qantas,
• Etihad
• Cathay Pacific
• Singapore Airlines
• Emirates
• EVA Air
• Virgin Atlantic/Virgin Australia
• All Nippon Airways
• Lufthansa