US readers of the prestigious Business Traveler Magazine have named Star Alliance as the world’s best airline alliance, with the publication presenting Star Alliance, the airline network for Earth™, with the highly coveted award last week at a gala ceremony and dinner in New York.
Business Traveler Magazine determines its winners through an annual Readers’ Choice Best in Business Travel Survey. Now in its 18th year, the survey randomly samples the publication’s subscriber base, with selected readers given the opportunity to name the companies that made their business travels more enjoyable.
The 2006 survey covered nearly 50 categories, including ‘Best Overall Airline in the World’, won by Star Alliance member Singapore Airlines.
Singapore Airlines took home three other awards including ‘Best Airline for International Travel’, ‘Best Economy Class in the World’ and ‘Best Business Class Cuisine/Menu’.
Other members of the Star Alliance honoured at the awards included:
Asiana Airlines – Best Flight Attendants in the World, and Best In-Flight Service in the World
United Airlines – Best Premium Economy Class in the World
Air Canada – Best business class to Canada
Air New Zealand – Best Business Class to the South Pacific/Australia/New Zealand
Lufthansa – Best business Class to Eastern Europe
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) – Best Business Class to Nordic Countries:
South African Airways – Best Business Class to Africa
UK readers of Business Traveler Magazine also honoured Star Alliance in September 2006 by awarding it ‘Best Airline Alliance’.
The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer customers worldwide reach and a smooth travel experience.
Members are Air Canada, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, bmi, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Spanair, SWISS, TAP Portugal, THAI, United and US Airways.
Regional member carriers Adria Airways (Slovenia), Blue1 (Finland) and Croatia Airlines enhance the global network.
Air China, Shanghai Airlines and Turkish Airlines have been accepted as future members and are expected to join Star Alliance during the course of the next one to two years.
Overall, the Star Alliance network offers more than 16,000 daily flights to 841 destinations in 157 countries.
Report by The Mole
