South African Airways (SAA) has been named the Best Airline in Africa, beating 65 formidable airlines to vying for the prestigious honour. This is the fourth award SAA has won since the beginning of the year.The award, by Skytrax, is one of the airline industry’s highest awards and the highest quality achievement.
Skytrax is a British-based leading specialist advisor to the airline industry which provides intensive product and service research, Quality evaluation Audits to airlines and airport operators and the world.
“It only gets better for Africa’s number one airline. It is an honour that among six million passengers, the majority chose SAA as the best airline in the continent,” said Andre Viljoen, SAA President and CEO.
“We will not disappoint them. We will continue to improve our customer service,” Viljoen added.
The Best Airline Africa category forms a sub-section of the Airline of the Year Awards. These will be announced in due course, as well as the Best Cabin Crew in Africa, which SAA has been named in the past.
About six-million nominations were received with SAA judged on its entire service offering from check-in to on board service and meals. Judging was done between August 2003 to March of this year.
The other awards the SAA has won since the beginning of the year, include the Best Online International Airline and Best African Airline at the Diners Club Asata Awards in March.
It received the Best Airline in Africa for the 13th consecutive year at the Travel Weekly Globe Awards in January.
In 2003, SAA won a total of 10 awards, including Best African Airline, Best Domestic Airline, Best International Airline flying to South Africa (ASATA Diners Club), Best Airline in Africa and Best Cabin Crew in Africa (SKYTRAX), Best Airline Based in Africa by Official Airline Guide (OAG), Top Airline to Africa at Travel Bulletin’s Travel Stars 2003 and is in Top Ten Transatlantic Airlines by Conde Nast Traveler.
Africa’s Leading Airline (World Travel Awards in USA) and No. 1 Airline in Africa and Middle East (Recommend Magazine 7th Annual readers Choice awards)
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