BA is named airline of the year

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It was the first time since 1988 that BA has taken the top prize in the Airline of the Year Awards organised by travel information company the Official Airline Guide (OAG).

BA was also voted top airline in three other categories - best transatlantic airline, best Europe to Asia and Australasia carrier, and best airline based in Western Europe.

Last month figures showed that BA had lost more bags in 2006 than any other major European carrier. The airline was also the hardest hit by the counter-terrorist measures introduced for passengers luggage last August. This led to BA having to cancel hundreds of flights.

Last Christmas, the carrier had to put up with the thick fog which wrecked schedules at Heathrow.

BA has also had to contend with much adverse publicity over the case of Christian worker Nadia Eweida, whose insistence on wearing a visible cross at work led to BA changing its uniform policy.

The awards were voted for by readers of OAG who would tend to be frequent fliers. OAG chief executive Alan Glass said: "British Airways performed solidly in just about every category it was eligible for.

"The people that matter, the world's frequent fliers, made it very clear in the way they voted that they like what BA is offering them. British Airways is a very worthy recipient of this year's OAG Airline of the Year Award."

The awards started in 1982 and BA now ties with Singapore Airlines and Virgin Atlantic in having won the top prize five times.

The lifetime achievement award went to easyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou. The outstanding service award was won by Maria Sabbah, Lebanon sales manager of BA subsidiary airline BMED. The award recognised her "dedication and inspiring leadership" during the aftermath of last year's air attacks on Beirut and its international airport.