Carrier Wins Top Award At Dubai Event For Second Year Running.

Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – Qatar Airways has been honoured in Dubai for the second consecutive year with the Best Business Class in the World award by readers of the Middle East edition of the prestigious industry magazine Business Traveller.

Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer Marwan Koleilat, pictured right, is presented with the airline's Business Traveller Middle East award for Best Business Class in the World by renowned Michelin star Italian chef and restaurateur Giorgio Locatelli at a ceremony in Dubai.

The Doha-based airline beat off stiff competition from neighbouring regional airlines to take home the coveted award, presented at a lavish ceremony held at the Emirates Towers hotel. Guests from across the regional and global travel, tourism and hospitality industries attended the annual event.

It was a fitting start to Qatar Airways’ week-long presence at Arabian Travel Market (ATM), the Middle East’s premier regional travel trade show, starting today in Dubai.
Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer Marwan Koleilat collected the award on behalf of the airline from renowned Michelin star Italian chef and restaurateur Giorgio Locatelli, adding to the carrier’s growing list of international honours.

Voting by readers of Business Traveller Middle East was based on the strength of the airline’s inflight service, cabin comfort, ground hospitality and product offerings for travellers in Business Class. Superior seating with a pitch of up to 78 inches, above the industry norm, and fully flat beds are a hallmark of the airline’s Business Class cabin onboard its flagship long-haul aircraft, the Boeing 777.

In addition, voters gave their thumbs up to the airline’s Oryx Multiplex in the Sky interactive inflight entertainment system offering passengers across all cabins with over 1,000 diverse audio and video options covering music, games, movies, TV programmes and much, much more.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said the latest award reflected the airline’s continued commitment to excellence.

“On behalf of Qatar Airways, I would like to thank the readers of Business Traveller Middle East magazine for once again giving their vote of confidence to us and strongly believing in our product, service, hospitality and professionalism in the air and on the ground,“ he said.

“Our customers are true advocates of our product and it is a delight to see their support of our premium cabin across the network, whether on short- or long-haul routes for which we promise an unrivalled experience.”

Qatar Airways is exhibiting at ATM throughout the week, promoting its new Business and Economy Class seats on its soon-to-be-delivered Boeing 787 aircraft. The carrier is the Middle East launch customer of the 787 Dreamliner with 60 aircraft on order.

During ATM taking place at the Dubai Convention and Exhibition Centre, Qatar Airways is also promoting its new routes for 2012 and will unveil expansion plans covering a wide network of destinations across the carrier’s global network, during a press conference hosted by Al Baker tomorrow (May 1).

Over the next few months, Qatar Airways will launch flights to Baghdad, Erbil, Kilimanjaro, Mombasa, Perth, Zagreb, Helsinki, Zanzibar, Belgrade and Yangon.

Qatar Airways has seen rapid growth in just 15 years of operation, currently operating a modern fleet of 109 aircraft from its Doha hub to 113 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America.