Business Wire: Business Wire

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--South African Airways (SAA), South Africa’s flagship airline and the continent’s most awarded carrier, was voted ‘Africa’s Leading Airline’ at the World Travel Awards Africa Ceremony held in May in Durban, South Africa. The accolade continues to solidify SAA’s position as the best airline to Africa as evidenced by awards bestowed by leading travel authorities.

“It was quite an honor to represent SAA in South Africa recently and accept this award as Africa’s Leading Airline at the World Travel Awards ceremony,” said Marc Cavaliere, executive vice president of North America for South African Airways. “It serves to tell our team, both on the ground and in the air, that their efforts at providing outstanding service and industry-leading comfort are being recognized by thousands of travel professionals who sell travel from around the world. We appreciate the recognition that our colleagues in the travel industry have shown us and we will continue to offer the best service to and from Africa.”

Graham Cooke, president and founder of the World Travel Awards was also pleased with the first Africa ceremony.

“South African Airways is representative of a flourishing and dynamic South African industry, a star performer in travel and tourism with an increase in visitor figures from every key market in the world.

“This kind of sustained performance will inevitably encourage further investment and stimulate healthy competition. This is also one of the key business objectives behind the World Travel Awards, helping to raise the bar on quality, customer experience, product innovation and creativity. South African Airways are to be congratulated on their achievement.”

South African Airways is regarded as the most awarded airline to Africa and has won numerous other awards including the recognition as having “The Best Business Class to Africa” by both Business Traveler and Global Traveler magazines, among other travel experts.

South African Airways features the only nonstop service from the U.S. to South Africa with daily departures from Washington, D.C., and the only daily direct service from New York that offer travel convenience and award-winning service. Customers in premium business class enjoy 180° flat-bed seats with individual entertainment systems, and customers in economy class enjoy the most legroom versus competitors and individual on-demand entertainment systems.

SAA’s unrivaled network, featuring connections to more than 20 destinations within South Africa, and more than 20 cities across the rest of the continent, make the airline the savvy traveler’s “gateway to Africa.” As a member to the worldwide Star Alliance, South African Airways is able to offer its customers 965 destinations in 162 countries and 18,000 flights daily, including convenient connections from more than 25 cities in the U.S. through code share service with Star Alliance partner United Airlines. Members of United’s Mileage Plus, US Airways’ Dividend Miles and Air Canada’s Aeroplan programs are able to earn and redeem miles on all South African Airways flights. For more information on South African Airways, please call (800) 722-9675 or visit www.flysaa.com, where travelers can sign up to be notified of other great South African Airways travel deals and vacation packages through the airline’s South African Airways Vacations division.

Editors: Attached is a photo of Marc Cavaliere (r.), executive vice president, North America SAA, at the World Travel Awards Gala in Africa, accepting the award for “Leading Airline to Africa” from Graham Cooke, president and founder, World Travel Awards. The gala was held on May, 12, in Durban. To view Marc’s post-acceptance video interview, please link to http://www.youtube.com/worldtravelawards.