Emirates' inflight catering has been honoured with the coveted PAX International Readership Award for the third consecutive year, reinforcing the airline's position as a global leader in inflight catering.

The PAX International Readership Awards were presented recently at the International Travel Catering Association (ITCA) trade show in Dubai. The PAX International Readership Awards are presented in five categories to airlines in five regions of the world, The Americas, Europe, The Middle East, Africa, and Asia/Australia. Emirates was presented with the Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier for the Middle East award for its unrivalled commitment to quality. The win is the latest in Emirates' catering team's many accolades.

"Inflight catering is an integral part of the travel experience and the award is a testament to our unwavering commitment to innovation, diversity and consistently high quality cuisine on-board," said Robin Padgett, Vice President Aircraft Catering, Emirates. "Our on-board dining experience is further enhanced by our award-winning inflight entertainment system and multi-cultural cabin crew, which provides our customers with a distinct, memorable experience."

Emirates' acclaimed menus are developed by highly trained chefs, many of whom have worked in some of the world's finest restaurants. With their vast experience and knowledge, Emirates' team of food experts has created a range of menus designed to meet the regional preferences of travellers. Always pioneering, and aiming to provide the best culinary offering to customers, Emirates partnered with three-star Michelin chef Santi Santamaria who hails from Spain, to create the menu for Emirates' recent launch to Madrid in August 2010.

Opened in July 2007, Emirates dedicated inflight catering facility is the most modern and largest of its kind in the world, with a design capacity of 115,000 meals per day. Costing US $120 million to build the facility is equipped with the latest in food safety and hygiene management raising the bar for inflight catering facilities around the world.