By 1news.co.nz
Fiji Airways has beaten out Qantas and Air New Zealand to claim the region’s top accolade at the 2023 World Airline Awards.
The island nation’s national carrier was named best airline in Australia and the Pacific at the ceremony in Paris overnight.
It comes after Qantas and Air New Zealand were first and second in the region respectively last year.
It’s the first time Fiji Airways has won the prize.
The Pacific Island carrier also retained the award for best airline staff in the region, for the fourth year in a row.
CEO Andre Viljoen said the titles represented “big wins”.
“We may not have as many resources as larger airlines, but we have the Fijian spirit of hospitality and care,” he said.
“As the national airline of Fiji, we embrace and champion these values in everything we do, and this sets us apart as an airline.
“The fact that these awards are determined purely on guest feedback makes our two accolades all the more special.”
More than 20 million votes were entered in the awards survey, with over 325 airlines featured in the results.
In the overall awards, Singapore Airline won world’s best airline, with Qatar Airways placed second and All Nippon Airways in third.
Emirates placed fourth and Japan Airways came fifth, while Turkish Ailines (sixth), Air France (seventh), Cathay Pacific (eigthth), EVA Air (ninth) and Korean Air (tenth) rounded out the top ten.
Air New Zealand featured at 19th, two places behind trans-Tasman rival Qantas.
