Asiana Airlines’ Cabincrew Support Team General Manager Park Hun-jae, center, poses with Business Traveler Editor in Chief Eva Leonard, left, actress Mena Suvari, third from left, and Asiana flight attendants at Sofitel in Los Angeles after receiving awards for flight attendants and in-flight and ground services, Dec. 11. / Courtesy of Asiana Airlines

By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter

Two major Korean carriers have been recognized as the world's best in various categories ranging from onboard service and call centers to business class facilities and advertising.

Korean Air and Asiana Airlines both won three awards each from Business Traveler, a United States magazine which uses tourism experts to conduct research on the best airlines, airports, hotels and destinations, according to various categories.

Korean Air was selected as the ``Best Airline in Asia'' for the second consecutive year in the magazine's Best in Business Travel Award. The carrier was also named the ``Best Business Class to Asia/Trans-Pacfic'' for the third straight year.

``Korean Air's winning of the best airline in Asia is significant in terms that it has maintained the top position among competition with other Asian carriers, most of which provide the world's highest level of services. The business class award has also confirmed Korean Air's luxury service,'' a Korean Air official said.

The carrier also won the ``Best Airline Advertising Campaign,'' a category newly adopted this year. Because of the unique blue color of the carrier, Korean Air's global advertisements were recognized to have displayed imagery distinct from other airlines.

``Under the vision of `Excellence in Flight,' we have sought reformative change in everything about service by adopting audio and video on demand (AVOD) system, state-of-the-art seats and new uniform and improving cabin interior,'' the official said.

Asiana Airlines was also honored for the ``Best Flight Attendants in the World'' and ``Best In-Flight Service in the World'' ― both for the third consecutive year.

It also won the ``Best Overall Customer Service Airlines-Ground/Call Center'' for the first time. It was thus recognized as the best carrier in the air as well as on the ground.

``We have developed onboard services that go beyond stereotyped ones, including a magic show, makeup service and onboard chef, and passengers like them. We also adopt high-tech in-flight facilities through huge investment and provide high-quality service in all sectors including reservation, ticketing and boarding,'' an Asiana official said.

The award ceremony was held at Sofitel in Los Angeles on Dec. 11.

The two airlines were also honored recently by another travel magazine, Global Traveler. Korean Air was named as ``Best Airline in North Asia,'' while Asiana received ``Best Onboard Service and Flight Attendants'' and ``Best Trans-Pacific Airline'' awards.

rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr