Air NZ awarded Longhaul Airline of the Year

Air New Zealand has been voted Longhaul Airline of the Year at the inaugural Independent Travel Awards.

The finalists were decided by public vote, with thousands of readers of The Independent, The Independent on Sunday and i newspapers and websites in Britain having their say, before a panel of expert judges selected the winners.

Air New Zealand Chief Customer and Marketing Officer Mike Tod says the award is recognition of the airline’s commitment to continual improvement across all aspects of its products and services.

"We’ve worked hard to maintain an exceptional standard across all our product offerings including airport lounges, innovative technology and going the extra mile to provide the best possible service and comfort for customers on all flights."

The judges noted that the award recognises the carrier that provides the best combination of innovation and value.

Other airlines to make the award shortlist were British Airways, Singapore, Qantas, Emirates, Etihad, Ethiopian and Icelandair.

Air New Zealand also currently holds the Airlineratings.com Airline of the Year award for the second year running.