![photo - Air New Zealand](http://thewofa.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/AirNZ-777-300-with-Beech1900-black-300x181.jpg)
Airline product and safety review website AirlineRatings.com has announced Air New Zealand as its ‘Airline of the Year’.
Air New Zealand won the top spot in AirlineRatngs.com’s first annual awards, with Singapore Airlines’ SilkAir subsidiary named the Regional Airline of the Year. Other award winners included Emirates for best first class, Cathay Pacific for best business class, Air New Zealand for best premium economy, Qantas best economy class and best lounges, and Emirates for best inflight entertainment. Jetstar was adjudged best low cost carrier for Asia/Pacific.
Speaking on Air New Zealand’s selection for the top gong, AirlineRatings.com founder and editor (and Australian Aviation contributor) Geoffrey Thomas noted: “Quite simply Air New Zealand is an airline of first choice. And given the airline’s location and the country’s size, its performance is even more remarkable.”
Thomas continued, “This outstanding performance has seen Air New Zealand catapult to the top tier of the industry in a host of areas and in particular market position, product innovation, yield and social media that made the airline a trendsetter.”