Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has been named the world’s leading airline for the third year in a row at the World Travel Awards event in Doha yesterday (January 11).

The judges also presented Etihad Airways with awards for the World’s Leading First Class and World’s Leading Airline to the Middle East at the black-tie gala event.

These three awards cap an extraordinary 12 months for the airline. Highlights included the launch of seven new international routes, a move into operating profitability and the purchase of a 29.2 per cent stake in airberlin, a landmark deal that enables access to 33 million new passengers in Europe.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ president and chief executive officer, said: “We are delighted to have been named World’s Leading Airline at the World Travel Awards for the third successive year.

“2011 was a fantastic year for Etihad Airways, during which we began to reap the full benefits of financial and operational strategies developed over the last five years.”

“Nothing is as important to us as our guests and we work tirelessly to ensure their experience with Etihad Airways surpasses expectations. We are always looking to innovate, whether that is by introducing qualified chefs in our Diamond First Class or bringing industry-leading in-flight entertainment systems with mobile and internet connectivity to the sky,” Hogan continued.

“Etihad Airways’ vision is simple: to be the best airline in the world. These accolades from industry experts at the World Travel Awards demonstrate that we are meeting that goal.”

The World Travel Awards – described as the “Oscars of the travel industry” by the Wall Street Journal – recognise the best airline, hospitality and tourism brands in the world. Judges look for excellence in categories such as customer relations, creativity, quality of service, product innovation and business acumen. – TradeArabia News Service