Asiana Airlines won the prestige Airline of the Year award at the 2010 World Airline Awards, that took place in Hamburg.

Asiana Airlines was named winner of the Airline of the Year 2010 title, ahead of Singapore Airlines (2nd) and Qatar Airways in 3rd place.

Some 40 different airlines from around the world assembled to receive their accolades, which were handed out by Mr Edward Plaisted, Chairman of Skytrax. The award winners are selected by the airline industry's most important audience, it's customers.
More than 17.9 million air travellers from over 100 different nationalities took part in the 10 month survey, between July 2009 and April 2010. The awards are respected and recognised around the world for being the only truly global, independent passenger survey of airline standards, and are known as the Passenger's Choice awards.

Commenting on the Airline of the Year 2010 award received by Asiana Airlines, Mr Plaisted said: "this is a fantastic achievement for Asiana Airlines to be named winner of this top Airline of the Year Award, and Asiana Airlines are clearly meeting and exceeding their customer's expectations. This award represents a true recognition of the front-line product and service that Asiana Airlines is delivering to it's customers, and the branding as the Passenger's Choice awards underlines the fact that Asiana Airlines are succeeding in satisfying the hardest critics - their users."

Asiana Airlines President and CEO, Mr Young-Doo Yoon, said : "We would like to express our most heartfelt appreciation to our customers who voted us for Skytrax 2010 Airline of the Year Award. Asiana Airlines is extremely honored to be recognized as the world’s top airline by our customers and to be awarded our industry’s highly esteemed accolade from Skytrax. To be the winner of the 2010 Airline of the Year Award is even more special and holds greater meaning, as it is 'The Passenger's Choice'."


The top 10 places in the 2010 Airline of the Year :

1.  Asiana Airlines
2.  Singapore Airlines
3.  Qatar Airways
4.  Cathay Pacific
5.  Air New Zealand
6.  Etihad Airways
7.  Qantas Airways
8.  Emirates
9.  Thai Airways
10. Malaysia Airlines



2010 AIRLINE WINNERS - the Passenger's Choice awards

Airline of the Year
WINNER: Asiana Airlines

Best Low-Cost Airline Worldwide
WINNER: Air Asia

Most Improved Airline
WINNER: Garuda Indonesia

Best Regional Airline
WINNER: Dragonair

Best Leisure / Charter Airline
WINNER: Thomson Airways

Best Cabin Staff
WINNER: Singapore Airlines

Best Inflight Entertainment
WINNER: Emirates

Best Airport Services
WINNER: Thai Airways

Best Economy Class
WINNER: Malaysia Airlines

Best Premium Economy Class
WINNER: Qantas

Best Business Class
WINNER: Qatar Airways

Best First Class
WINNER: Etihad Airways

Best Airline : Transatlantic
WINNER: Virgin Atlantic

Best Airline : Transpacific
WINNER: Cathay Pacific

Best Airline : Africa
WINNER: South African Airways

Best Airline : Asia
WINNER: Asiana Airlines

Best Airline : Australia/Pacific
WINNER: Air New Zealand

Best Airline : C America/Caribbean
WINNER: TACA Airlines

Best Airline : China
WINNER: Hainan Airlines

Best Airline : Eastern Europe
WINNER: Malev Hiungarian Airlines

Best Airline : Europe
WINNER: Lufthansa

Best Airline : India/Central Asia
WINNER: Kingfisher Airlines

Best Airline : Middle East
WINNER: Qatar Airways

Best Airline : North America
WINNER: Air Canada

Best Airline : Northern Europe
WINNER: Finnair

Best Airline : South America
WINNER: LAN Airlines

Best Airline : South East Asia
WINNER: Singapore Airlines

Best Airline : Southern Europe
WINNER: Turkish Airlines

Best Airline : Western Europe
WINNER: Lufthansa

Best Airline Alliance
WINNER: Oneworld Alliance

Best Airline Lounge - Business Class
WINNER: Virgin Atlantic

Best Airline Lounge - First Class
WINNER: Thai Airways

Best Airline Seat - Business Class
WINNER: Singapore Airlines

Best Airline Seat - Economy Class
WINNER: Kingfisher Airlines

Best Airline Seat - First Class
WINNER: Etihad Airways

Best Airline Seat - Premium Economy Class
WINNER: Qantas Airways

Best Low-Cost Airline Africa
WINNER: Kulula

Best Low-Cost Airline Asia
WINNER: Air Asia

Best Low-Cost Airline Australia/Pacific
WINNER: Virgin Blue

Best Low-Cost Airline Europe
WINNER: Air Berlin

Best Low-Cost Airline India
WINNER: IndiGo

Best Low-Cost Airline Middle East
WINNER: Air Arabia

Best Low-Cost Airline North America
WINNER: Virgin America

Best Low-Cost Airline South America
WINNER: GOL

Best Onboard Catering - Business Class
WINNER: Qatar Airways

Best Onboard Catering - Economy Class
WINNER: Turkish Airlines

Best Onboard Catering - First Class
WINNER: Etihad Airways

Staff Service Excellence Award - Africa
WINNER: South African Airways

Staff Service Excellence Award - Asia
WINNER: Malaysia Airlines

Staff Service Excellence Award - Australia/Pacific
WINNER: Air New Zealand

Staff Service Excellence Award - C America/Caribbean
WINNER: TACA Airlines

Staff Service Excellence Award - China
WINNER: Hainan Airlines

Staff Service Excellence Award - Europe
WINNER: Swiss Int'l Airlines

Staff Service Excellence Award - India/Central Asia
WINNER: Kingfisher Airlines

Staff Service Excellence Award - Middle East
WINNER: Qatar Airways

Staff Service Excellence Award - North America
WINNER: WestJet

Staff Service Excellence Award - South America
WINNER: LAN Airlines