KEY POINTS:
Air New Zealand is thanking a new route, and a 747 fleet refurbishment, for its second place in a list of most-favoured long-haul airlines.
Only 0.2 per cent separated the airline from first-placed Virgin Atlantic in a readers' survey in the travel magazine Conde Nast Traveller, Air NZ general manager international Ed Sims said yesterday.
The airline placed sixth in the category in the previous Conde Nast list.
About 30,000 readers took part in the survey, which also named favourite city (Sydney), most favoured country (India) and favourite islands (Maldives).
Mr Sims, said the airline put the carrier's success down to "a couple of things", including the option of a Hong Kong stop-over on the Heathrow-New Zealand service.
The route, an alternative to flying via the United States, gave travellers a wider range of departure times, he said.
A full refurbishment of the 747 fleet, with a move to lie-flat beds in business and the advent of Premium Economy had also proved popular.
The airline would now look at how it could improve "the ground experience" for its passengers, Mr Sims said.
Refinements were likely to include improving the way passengers got to the airport. Heathrow-specific improvements were likely to include limousine transfers. for customers and improvements to the Air NZ lounge.
Mr Sims said the airline would face challenges in the coming year, particularly from the many larger carriers.
It would have no choice but to spend more money to maintain its top-five position.
"'There's always a competitor ready to spend more money," he said.
In other categories, New Zealand ranked fifth favourite country, a drop from number two last year.
No New Zealand cities managed to make this year's list of favourite cities, which was this year topped by Sydney.
Taupo's Huka Lodge was the fifth most favoured hotel in the Australasia-Pacific region in a list dominated by Australian establishments.
