The Official Airline Guide (OAG), the authority on flight information, unveiled the shortlist for the 26th OAG Airline Industry Awards. The winners will be announced at the Awards ceremony on Wednesday, 4 June in the opulent art deco setting of The Bloomsbury Ballroom in central London. Boeing is the Awards’ headline sponsor.

A total of 45 different airlines, three more than in 2007, have received nominations in 15 regional and global categories.

Leading the field in terms of multiple nominations for 2008 is last year’s “Airline of the Year”, British Airways, which along with Singapore Airlines has six nominations. British Airways and Singapore Airlines, both five times winners of the coveted “Airline of the Year” title, are followed by American Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa with four nominations apiece. First time nominees in 2008 include Air Pacific, Jetstar Airways, Tarom and Virgin Nigeria.

“It is often overlooked that globally there are nearly 1,000 airlines and 3,500 airports trying to attract the attention and business of the world’s frequent and occasional travellers. The management and staff of all the 45 airlines nominated for this year’s OAG Airline Industry Awards should be immensely proud of their accomplishments over the last 12 months,” says Alan Glass, CEO of OAG. “The nominees have already been voted amongst the very best in the world in their respective categories and we at OAG congratulate them on this achievement.”

Commented Steve Casley, COO of OAG, “If one region of the world has emerged in the past decade of the OAG Awards as reflecting the moving power base of air travel, that region would be the Middle East, and especially the Gulf states. Emirates, Etihad, Gulf Air and Qatar Airways are all nominated for best airline based in the Middle East / Indian Sub-Continent along with India’s Jet Airways. Dubai International has been nominated for the title of world’s best airport and it will not be lost on any of the nominated airlines that only one European airport, Amsterdam Schiphol, has been nominated.”

For European airlines, the shortlist is as competitive as ever. Air France, British Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa and Virgin Atlantic are nominated for best airline based in Western Europe while the nominees for best airline based in Central and Eastern Europe include Aeroflot Russian Airlines, CSA Czech Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, MALEV Hungarian Airlines and TAROM.

“There is no question that the last 18 months has been at times a turbulent one for many airlines and airports, but OAG’s worldwide customer and subscriber base have spoken up, as they have for the past 26 years, to vote in large numbers for the airlines and airports that they consider to be the best in the business,” adds OAG CEO Alan Glass. “As in previous years our customers and subscribers, the world’s frequent flyers, have thrown up some perennial favourites, such as British Airways and Singapore, as well as some interesting surprises amongst the nominees. The fact that after 26 years we can still have four first time nominees reflects just how dynamic and global our industry remains.”

The annual “OAG Airline Industry Awards”, sponsored by Boeing, celebrates the very best in global air travel and publicly recognises the highest standards within the industry. 

The complete list of nominations for 2008 follows:

Best Airline Based in Asia

Sponsored by The Bird Group

Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways

 
Best Airline Based in Australasia/Pacific

Sponsored by 15Below

Air New Zealand, Air Pacific, Jetstar Airways, Qantas, Virgin Blue

Best Airline Based in North America

Air Canada, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines

 
Best Airline Based in Central/South America & Caribbean

Aeromexico, Copa Airlines, LAN Airlines, Mexicana, TAM Brazilian Airlines

Best Airline Based in the Middle East/Indian Sub-Continent

Sponsored by The Bird Group

Emirates, Etihad, Gulf Air, Jet Airways, Qatar Airways

 
Best Airline Based in Africa

Ethiopian Airlines, Egyptair, Kenya Airways, South African Airways, Virgin Nigeria

 
Best Airline Based in Central/Eastern Europe

Sponsored by Daedalus Sales & Marketing Consultants

Aeroflot Russian Airlines, Czech Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, MALEV Hungarian Airlines, TAROM

 
Best Airline Based in Western Europe

Air France, British Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic

 
Best Transpacific Airline

Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, United Airlines

 
Best Transatlantic Airline

American Airlines, British Airways, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic

 
Best Europe – Asia/Australasia Airline

British Airways, Emirates, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines

 
Best Low Cost Airline

Sponsored by The Bird Group

easyJet, jetBlue, Jetstar Airways, Ryanair, Southwest Airlines

 
Best Economy/Coach Class

Sponsored by Travelport

American Airlines, British Airways, Delta Air Lines, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines

 
Best Business/Executive Class

Sponsored by Travelport

American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines

Best International First Class

Sponsored by Travelport

British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines

 
Best Airport

Amsterdam Schiphol, Dubai International, Hong Kong International,

New York JFK, San Francisco International, Singapore Changi

 
Best Freighter Operator

Amerijet International, Cargolux Airlines, Cathay Pacific Cargo, KLM Cargo,

Lufthansa Cargo

 
Best Airline Lessor

Aviation Capital Group, AWAS, Babcock & Brown Aircraft Management,

DAE Capital, Engine Lease Finance Corp, Jetscape

 
Best Airline Finance Deal

Engine Lease Finance Corp (GSI engine sale),  Macquarie (acquisition of GATX Air),

Morgan Stanley/Credit Suisse (Continental Airlines EETC), RBS Aerospace (Airspeed securitization), Seabury Group (Northwest restructuring), TAM (bond issue).