Emirates wins Monitor Airline of the Year 2022 award

Dhaka : Dubai-based airline Emirates was announced the Monitor Airline of the Year 2022 and US-Bangla Airlines the Best Domestic Airline at a gala award ceremony held at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the capital organised by the premier travel trade publication The Bangladesh Monitor on September 23. 
Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Qatar Airways and Air Arabia came out as Best Regional Airline, Cargo Airline of the Year and Best Budget Airline respectively. 
Md Mahbub Ali, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism, handed over the awards among the winning airlines in different categories.
"Customer service is a vital component in any airline's survival strategy. Hence, customer satisfaction is crucial for the sustainable development of an airline," the State Minister said in his speech. 
"My sincere congratulations to those airlines who have been able to earn the recognition this year and best wishes for those who could not make it this time," he added.  
"Along with the airlines operating in Bangladesh, the country's aviation sector is also growing. Development works are underway at all airports of the country including the Third Terminal at Dhaka Airport. In the next 15 years, the growth of our aviation industry will be threefold," further mentioned the State Minister.  
Winners were selected based on the frequent flyers' opinion poll, conducted over a period of three months.
In his inaugural speech, Kazi Wahidul Alam, Editor of The Bangladesh Monitor, said, "Domestic air travel has already exceeded the pre-pandemic level by over 25 per cent, while international travel has also made its mark to reach the 2019 level, with yields surpassing all previous records." 
"I congratulate all the winners for their good work and believe they will keep it up in the days ahead," added the aviation expert. 
Airlines operating in Bangladesh were awarded in 14 different categories of services with Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards, considering the number of votes they received.
Emirates, the highest number of award receiving airline at the event, bagged five gold awards in different categories including Best Business Class, Best Inflight Meal in Business Class, Best Inflight Entertainment, Best Long-haul Airline, and Airline of the Year.
The airline also won Silver in Best Economy Class, Best Inflight meal in Economy Class, Most Favourite Frequent Flyer Programme and Cargo Airline of the Year categories.  
National carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines won Gold Awards in three different categories including Best Economy Class, Best Inflight Meal in Economy Class, and Best Regional Airline.
The flag carrier also won Bronze Awards in Airline of the Year, Best On-time Performance, and Best Domestic Airline categories.  
Apart from winning the Cargo Airline of the Year award, Qatar Airways also won Gold Award in the Frequent Flyer Programme category. 
Qatar Airways also won Silver Awards in Best Business Class, Best Inflight Entertainment, Best Inflight Meal in Business Class, Best Long-haul Airline, and Airline of the Year categories.
Air Arabia became the Budget Airline of the Year while the private Bangladeshi airline NOVOAIR won the Gold for Best Ontime Performance in the domestic air services category.
NOVOAIR also won Silver Award in Best Domestic Airline 2022 category.  
There was a new category introduced in this year's TripLover Monitor Airline of the Year 2022 awards - the best airport lounge - won by City Bank Amex Lounge.
Moreover, Md Abdullah Al Mamun, Managing Director of US-Bangla Airlines, received a special jury award-"Airline Entrepreneur of the Year 2022" - for his contribution to the country's aviation sector.
His airline US-Bangla also won Silver Awards in Best Regional Airline, and Best On-time Performance and Bronze Award in Best Inflight Meal in Economy Class categories. 
Apart from these winners, Singapore Airlines won Bronze Awards in Best Business Class, Best Inflight Entertainment, Best Inflight Meal in Business Class, Best Long-haul Airline and Most Favourite Frequent Flyer Programme categories.  
Moreover, Turkish Airlines and SriLankan Airlines each won Bronze Awards in Best Economy Class and Best Regional Airline categories. 
In the Best Budget Airline 2022 category, Air Asia won the Silver Award while flyDubai and SalamAir, respectively, won the Bronze award. 
Saudia was also adjudged as the Bronze Award winner of Cargo Airline of the Year. 
Lastly, in the new Best Airport Lounge category, EBL Sky Lounge and Balaka Executive Lounge by InterContinental Dhaka won Silver and Bronze awards respectively. 
A nine-member jury committee comprising distinguished personalities from various sectors scrutinised the opinion poll and selected the winners. 
Professor Shibli Rubayat-ul-Islam, Chairman of Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission was the Chairman of the jury committee.
At the gala award ceremony, Professor Shibli Rubayat-ul-Islam, in his speech, said, "Monitor Airline of the Year is the country's only recognised programme for the airlines awarding them for their service excellence." 
"A high level of transparency with a professional approach in judgement has made the award the most credible and acceptable in the travel industry of Bangladesh," he claimed. 
The Bangladesh Monitor introduced the Airline of the Year award in 2007 and has been organising the programme on a regular basis. 
This year, the ninth edition of the recognition programme was supported by TripLover as the Title Sponsor and Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka as the Hospitality Partner.
Nisha Tasnim, COO of TripLover and Robin James Edwards, General Manager of Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka also spoke on the occasion.