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British Airways Steals Virgin Business Class’ Crown


At last some good news for British Airways: The 2002 Business Traveller Awards has today seen Virgin Atlantic ousted from its top spot in the Best Business Class category, an award the airline has won for the last seven years. Instead, British Airways showed the world it is still a force to be reckoned with by scooping the title along with 6 others including Best Airline, Best First Class, Best Short Haul Airline, Best Frequent Flyer Programme, Best Cabin Staff and Most Innovative Airline.
In the brand new category of Best Airline Alliance oneworld has also beaten its close rival Star Alliance into 2nd place, with Skyteam taking 3rd place.
Best Low Cost Airline is won for the second time by Go, again beating its new parent EasyJet who won the award in 1999 and 2000. Ryanair maintains its 3rd position, with Buzz in 4th place.
Emirates again emerges as the winner in the Best Medium Haul Airline section (for flights between five and ten hours), followed by British Airways only eight percentage points behind. Best Long Haul Airline goes to Singapore Airlines with more than half of those using them voting them the best. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic both performed well and take positions two and three respectively.
Best Economy Class is another award lost by Virgin, with Emirates taking pole position after coming third in 2001, whilst American Airlines wins Best North American Airline for the tenth year running. LOT Polish Airlines wins Best Eastern European Airline for the fifth year in succession.
For the fifteenth year in a row Singapore’s Changi Airport takes the award for Best Airport in the World with a 33% share of the vote and no other airport coming close to matching it. Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok retains 2nd place this year and Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport rises from 5th to 3rd position. Dubai Airport enters the list for the second time in 4th position closely followed by London, Heathrow.
Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport wins Best Airport in Europe, with Heathrow hot on its heels.  London’s Gatwick Airport takes 3rd place with Copenhagen’s Kastrup taking 4th, and Frankfurt Airport enters the top five in 5th position. 
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