Vietnam Airlines was named the World’s Leading Cultural Airline and World’s Leading Airline - Premium Economy Class at this year’s prestigious World Travel Awards gala in Lisbon, Portugal on Saturday.

Vietnam Airlines has retained the dual awards for two consecutive years, echoing its commitment to bringing customers the highest quality service, in line with the airline’s impressive four-Star Skytrax ranking.

Le Hong Ha, Executive Vice President of Vietnam Airlines, said it was an honour for Vietnam Airlines to be recognised by the World Travel Awards for the third consecutive year.

“Whilst one award reinforces our award-winning Premium Economy, the other recognises the portrayal of the distinctive Vietnamese culture throughout the total passenger journey,” said Ha. “Taking the top spot in two categories is a reflection of the airline’s ongoing efforts to provide quality consistency and it motivates us to reach further.”

Founder and President of the World Travel Awards Graham Cooke said Vietnam Airlines had demonstrated phenomenal dedication to improving its customer service and upgrading its fleet.

“I am delighted that it has been acknowledged by both the travel trade and the public by being voted ‘World’s Leading Airline – Premium Economy Class’ and ‘World’s Leading Cultural Airline’,” he said.

Earlier this year, Vietnam Airlines was certified with a four-star rating by prestigious international air transport rating organisation Skytrax for the third consecutive year. Its Premium Economy class, available on both the state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and the Airbus A350 on several international routes, offers generous legroom as well as spacious reclining seats for ultimate comfort.

Vietnam Airlines’ four-star services are characterised by a distinctive touch of Viet Nam’s enchanting traditional culture. From Pho – a tasty traditional dish served on board – to the Ao dai (traditional long dress) worn by cabin crew and the signature Golden Lotus logo, passengers can easily recognise Viet Nam’s most iconic features in the airline’s products and services, both in flight and on the ground.

Earlier this year, Vietnam Airlines moved to further enhance the in-flight dining experience by appointing Luke Nguyen as its Global Cuisine Ambassador. Luke will re-imagine the in-flight menus, drawing inspiration and influences from the rich Vietnamese culture and cuisine around the world. This partnership comes from a shared ethos of respecting cultural values by designing, preparing and presenting authentic Vietnamese flavors in harmony with on-board dishes.

The World Travel Awards were established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all key sectors of the travel, tourism and hospitality industries. Each year, the World Travel Awards covers the globe with its Grand Tour – a series of regional gala ceremonies to recognise excellence within each continent – culminating in a Grand Final at the end of the year. — VNS