HONG KONG – Qatar Airways has continued its award-winning streak by retaining the Best Airline in the Middle East and Africa accolade at the 2011 Business Traveller Asia Pacific Awards.

Voted by readers of the prestigious monthly magazine targeting frequent travellers, Qatar Airways beat stiff competition to pick up the coveted award for the second year running at a ceremony in Hong Kong attended by leading figures from across the hospitality industry.

Recently named Airline of the Year by industry audit Skytrax, Qatar Airways won the Business Traveller award for the first time last year.

The award further recognises Qatar Airways’ strong commitment towards travel excellence as voted by the very people who regularly ply the skies on business travel trips – frequent flyers. 

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said retaining the award reflected the company’s high standards of service and commitment to the travelling public.

“We operate in one of the most competitive and dynamic markets. Winning this award among the tremendous amount of competition out there is an honourable achievement and continues to highlight the importance of continuing to invest in products and services to ensure travellers have an experience to remember.

“Yet again Qatar Airways has demonstrated it continues to make its presence felt and be increasingly recognised for the high levels of service that the airline is renowned for worldwide in the 14 short years in operation. This has been an excellent year for Qatar Airways.”

Qatar Airways Country Manager Greater China, Jared Lee, who picked up the award on behalf of the airline, said: “This award is further testament to Qatar Airways’ success and growing appeal among customers, not only in the Asia Pacific region, but around the world.”

Commending Qatar Airways, Reggie Ho, Editor of Business Traveller Asia Pacific, said: “In less than 15 years, Qatar Airways has firmly established itself as a leading international carrier, and the fact that our globe-trotting readers have voted it as the Best Airline in the Middle East and Africa for the second consecutive year is a proof of that.”

Qatar Airways flies to over 100 diverse business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America with a modern fleet of 98 aircraft. More than 50 per cent of the airline’s international route network is in the Asia Pacific and Africa region.

Over the next few weeks, Qatar Airways will expand its services to the Bulgarian capital Sofia beginning tomorrow, September 14; the Norwegian capital Oslo from October 5; Entebbe in Uganda starting November 2; and Chongqing, the airline’s newest route in China, effective November 28.