Colombo, Nov 7 (newsin.asia) – Sri Lanka’s national airline carrier, Sri Lankan Airlines, was voted as the ‘Leading International Airline’ at the second annual South Asian Travel Awards 2017 held in Maldives, a statement by Sri Lankan said Tuesday.

Sri Lankan Airlines ‘Business Class’ was also named the ‘Best in Class’ among all airline cabin classes in the region.

Awards were presented in 50 categories covering the entire travel industry, including full service airlines, low cost airlines, hotels, travel agencies, tour operators and adventure tourism.

Siva Ramachandra, SriLankan’s Chief Commercial Officer, said Sri Lankan Airlines was delighted to add yet another prestigious award to its  collection of global and regional accolades. “It is creditable that our own customers had made their choice,” he said.

Dimuthu Tennakoon, Head of Worldwide Sales Delivery at SriLankan Airlines, said the awards demonstrated the high all-round quality of SriLankan Airlines, from the choice of destinations that it provide its passengers, to its superb product and service both in the air and on the ground throughout its global route network.

Sri Lankan has won a host of accolades in recent times including ‘World’s Leading Airline Operating to the Indian Ocean Region’ at the World Travel Awards; ‘Best Full Service Airline in Central and South Asia’ for the second consecutive year at the Future Travel Experience Asia Awards; ‘Best International Airline – Asia’ at the Tamil Nadu Tourism Awards; ‘Most Innovative Marketing Airline in China’ by Life Weekly magazine; and ‘Best Airline in South Asia’ at the Top Travel Awards, also in China.

Just weeks ago, SriLankan Airlines was honoured with a prestigious Four Star Rating by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) in the first ever global airline industry rating programme based solely on feedback from passengers.

In the quest to be chosen as the ‘Leading Airline in South Asia’ SriLankan Airlines overcame competition from Air India, Indian Airlines, Druk Air, Himalaya Airlines and Nepal Airlines who were the other nominees.

The ‘Best in Class’ category featured competition among various First Class, Business Class and Economy Class products of nominees who included Air Asia, Air India and Jet Airways.