Airways New Zealand rated best in world

Media Release

8 June 2008

For immediate release

Airways New Zealand rated best in world by international airlines

Airways New Zealand, New Zealand’s Air Navigation Services Provider, has been singled out by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for an Eagle Award at IATA’s 64th Annual General Meeting and World Transport Summit in Instanbul, Turkey.

The IATA Eagle Award honours airports and air navigation service providers who have demonstrated outstanding performance in customer satisfaction, cost efficiency and continuous improvement. Generally only one Eagle Award is awarded to an Air Navigation Service Provider each year by IATA, and is based on the recommendations of IATA’s independent Eagle Awards Panel. IATA is the international association representing some 230 of the world’s airlines, comprising 94 percent of the world’s scheduled international air traffic.

In announcing the prestigious award, Giovanni Bisignani, IATA's Director General and CEO, praised the cost efficiency and high service standards of Airways New Zealand.

“Airways New Zealand focuses on the needs of its customers. Not just within its own area but also in seeking regional solutions with neighbouring Air Navigation Service Providers. This is the sort of joined-up thinking that airline customers appreciate and need. Airways New Zealand sets an excellent example for other Air Navigation Service Providers to follow,” said Mr Bisignani.

“Airways New Zealand also has a good consultation process and its charges are reasonable. It has not increased its charges for the past ten years. Airways New Zealand is delivering global improvements in route optimisation, operational efficiency, safety and cost efficiency.”

Accepting the Eagle Award in Instanbul, Airways New Zealand CEO Ashley Smout described the award as recognition for Airways New Zealand’s continual efforts over many years to offer a safe and effective service to its airline customers.

“Airways considers the IATA Eagle Award to be the highest form of recognition we can aspire to, because it stands for excellence in what we strive to do each day back throughout New Zealand – which is making our service to our airline customers safer, more efficient, and more effective,” said Mr Smout.

“Our ability to deliver on what our customers want and need is based on the quality of our relationships with them, and Airways is privileged to have a customer like Air New Zealand, who nominated us for this award.”

“Their ability to understand us, allow us get alongside them, and work with them to improve our service to them, sets them apart. So on behalf of everyone at Airways, thanks Air New Zealand.”

“Most importantly, the Eagle Award is recognition for the outstanding performance of Airways New Zealand’s air traffic controllers, technicians, flight assistants and corporate personnel who can hold their heads up high and know that their contribution to flight safety and efficiency in New Zealand is among the world’s best,” said Mr Smout.

ENDS

www.airways.co.nz

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