Travel Global Magazine announced the 2011 award winners of its 8th Annual Reader Survey naming TAP Air Portugal “Best Airline in Europe.”
Global Traveler conducted its GT Tested Reader Survey, asking frequent business and luxury travelers to name the best in a variety of travel-related categories. More than 36,000 people responded. The survey was conducted from Jan. 1, 2011, to Aug. 31, 2011.
This year, Global Traveler’s distinguished readers recognized airlines, hotels, loyalty programs and travel-related products in 66 categories. The results of the survey were announced in the December 2011 issue.
Over the past eight years, Global Traveler’s consistent, unbiased reporting has placed the GT Tested Reader Survey among the most highly regarded in the industry.
This year’s roster of highly regarded winners includes Singapore Airlines (Best Airline in the World), Emirates (Best Airline for First Class), Swiss International Air Lines (Best First-Class Seat Design) and Air Tahiti Nui (Best Airline in the South Pacific). Other top winners are South African Airways (Best Airline in Africa), Hainan Airlines (Best Airline in China), Incheon International Airport (Best Airport in the World), The Ritz- Carlton (Best Domestic Hotel Chain), The Peninsula Beverly Hills (Best Hotel in the United States), Boingo Wireless (Best WiFi Service) and Dubai Duty Free (Best Duty- Free Shops).
This year marks the first year for the following GT Tested categories: Best Private Jet Company in Asia (Deer Jet), Best Private Jet Company in the Americas (Delta Private Jets), Best Private Jet Company in Europe (Air Partner), Best Private Jet Company in the Middle East (Royal Jet), Best Hotel in the World (The Address Hotel Downtown Dubai), Best Overseas Delivery Program (Audi) and Best Noise-Canceling Headset (Sony Noise-Canceling Headsets).
TAP Air Portugal, the State run national flag carrier, is in the market to be sold as part of Portugal’s bailout deal cut the European Union in May, as a condition for obtaining a 78 billion-euro (US$111.2 USD billion) emergency loan.
In the United States, currently TAP Air Portugal operates flights to Miami and Newark departing from Lisbon and Porto, with seven flights per week out of Lisbon, and three from Porto. During the winter, it operates five-times-weekly services from Lisbon and twice-weekly from Porto.
According to the JACDEC Airliner Safety Report, released in January 2011, TAP Air Portugal was rated the Western Europe’s safest airline and the fourth world’s safest after Qantas, Air New Zealand, and Finnair.
