Air NZ has been named airline of the year by AirlineRatings.com for the fifth year in a row. The awards, judged by 6 editors with over 180 years' industry experience, combines major safety and govt audits with 12 key criteria - up from 9 last year - that include fleet age, passenger reviews, profitability, investment rating, product offerings and staff relations. "In our objective analysis Air NZ came out No 1 in virtually all of our audit criteria, which is an exceptional performance," said AirlineRatings' editor-in-chief, Geoffrey Thomas. Air NZ CE Christopher Luxon said the award was testament to the huge effort from the airline's staff to deliver a world-class Kiwi experience on the ground and in the air. Last month the airline was named top airline in the world by luxury lifestyle and travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler. <br/>
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In the battle to fill their seats with high fliers, the world’s top airlines are rolling out evermore luxurious options for top-tier travellers. SIA, Thursday, unveiled its first major overhaul of cabins in its double-decker Airbus A380, with an emphasis on space - and double beds. Wardrobes, luxury bedding and bathrooms are blurring the lines between flying and the 5-star hotel experience for passengers occupying suites. Even business class passengers will be able to snuggle up with a loved one, with double bed conversions available in the middle aisle. Passengers traveling on the Singapore-Sydney routes from Dec 18 will be the first to experience the luxury upgrades. The carrier is spending US$850m on the overhaul across 19 of the superjumbos, including 14 currently in its fleet. <br/>
SIA has unveiled new Airbus A380 economy-class seats, which will be introduced by the end of the year. The seats, Recaro Aircraft Seating’s CL3710, will also be used on the carrier’s A350 and Boeing 787-10 aircraft in 2018. The more than 18,000 lightweight seats have been customised and adapted to SIA's cabin design. According to Recaro, the “highly customised seat back and special padding will ensure exceptional passenger comfort. The unique seat features noteworthy equipment such as an amenity holder for a mobile phone or eyeglasses below the inflight entertainment monitor and a vanity mirror integrated into the back of the tray table. In addition to the main literature pocket, there are also separate pockets for personal items.” <br/>