Shortlist Unveiled for the 26th OAG Airline Industry Awards

LONDON, May 14/PRNewswire/ --

OAG (Official Airline Guide), the world's authority on flight
information, today unveiled the shortlist for the 26th OAG Airline Industry
Awards (www.oagairlineawards.com ). The winners will be announced at the
Awards ceremony on Wednesday, 4 June in the opulent art deco setting of The
Bloomsbury Ballroom in central London. Boeing is the Awards' headline
sponsor.

A total of 45 different airlines, three more than in 2007, have received
nominations in 15 regional and global categories.

Leading the field in terms of multiple nominations for 2008 is last
year's "Airline of the Year", British Airways, which along with Singapore
Airlines has six nominations. British Airways and Singapore Airlines, both
five times winners of the coveted "Airline of the Year" title, are followed
by American Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa with four nominations
apiece. First time nominees in 2008 include Air Pacific, Jetstar Airways,
Tarom and Virgin Nigeria.

"It is often overlooked that globally there are nearly 1,000 airlines and
3,500 airports trying to attract the attention and business of the world's
frequent and occasional travellers. The management and staff of all the 45
airlines nominated for this year's OAG Airline Industry Awards should be
immensely proud of their accomplishments over the last 12 months," says Alan
Glass, CEO of OAG. "The nominees have already been voted amongst the very
best in the world in their respective categories and we at OAG congratulate
them on this achievement."

Commented Steve Casley, COO of OAG, "If one region of the world has
emerged in the past decade of the OAG Awards as reflecting the moving power
base of air travel, that region would be the Middle East, and especially the
Gulf states. Emirates, Etihad, Gulf Air and Qatar Airways are all nominated
for best airline based in the Middle East / Indian Sub-Continent along with
India's Jet Airways. Dubai International has been nominated for the title of
world's best airport and it will not be lost on any of the nominated airlines
that only one European airport, Amsterdam Schiphol, has been nominated."

For European airlines, the shortlist is as competitive as ever. Air
France, British Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa and Virgin
Atlantic are nominated for best airline based in Western Europe while the
nominees for best airline based in Central and Eastern Europe include
Aeroflot Russian Airlines, CSA Czech Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, MALEV
Hungarian Airlines and TAROM.

"There is no question that the last 18 months has been at times a
turbulent one for many airlines and airports, but OAG's worldwide customer
and subscriber base have spoken up, as they have for the past 26 years, to
vote in large numbers for the airlines and airports that they consider to be
the best in the business," adds OAG CEO Alan Glass. "As in previous years our
customers and subscribers, the world's frequent flyers, have thrown up some
perennial favourites, such as British Airways and Singapore, as well as some
interesting surprises amongst the nominees. The fact that after 26 years we
can still have four first time nominees reflects just how dynamic and global
our industry remains."

The annual "OAG Airline Industry Awards", sponsored by Boeing, celebrates
the very best in global air travel and publicly recognises the highest
standards within the industry. The complete list of nominations for 2008
follows, and can also be accessed at www.oagairlineawards.com

Best Airline Based in Asia
Sponsored by The Bird Group
Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, Thai
Airways

Best Airline Based in Australasia/Pacific
Sponsored by 15Below
Air New Zealand, Air Pacific, Jetstar Airways, Qantas, Virgin Blue

Best Airline Based in North America
Air Canada, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines,
United Airlines

Best Airline Based in Central/South America & Caribbean
Aeromexico, Copa Airlines, LAN Airlines, Mexicana, TAM Brazilian Airlines

Best Airline Based in the Middle East/Indian Sub-Continent
Sponsored by The Bird Group
Emirates, Etihad, Gulf Air, Jet Airways, Qatar Airways

Best Airline Based in Africa
Ethiopian Airlines, Egyptair, Kenya Airways, South African Airways,
Virgin Nigeria

Best Airline Based in Central/Eastern Europe
Sponsored by Daedalus Sales & Marketing Consultants
Aeroflot Russian Airlines, Czech Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, MALEV
Hungarian Airlines, TAROM

Best Airline Based in Western Europe
Air France, British Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Virgin
Atlantic

Best Transpacific Airline
Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, United
Airlines

Best Transatlantic Airline
American Airlines, British Airways, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines,
Virgin Atlantic

Best Europe - Asia/Australasia Airline
British Airways, Emirates, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore
Airlines

Best Low Cost Airline
Sponsored by The Bird Group
easyJet, jetBlue, Jetstar Airways, Ryanair, Southwest Airlines

Best Economy/Coach Class
Sponsored by Travelport
American Airlines, British Airways, Delta Air Lines, Korean Air,
Singapore Airlines

Best Business/Executive Class
Sponsored by Travelport
American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa, Singapore
Airlines

Best International First Class
Sponsored by Travelport
British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines

Best Airport
Amsterdam Schiphol, Dubai International, Hong Kong International,
New York JFK, San Francisco International, Singapore Changi

Best Freighter Operator
Amerijet International, Cargolux Airlines, Cathay Pacific Cargo, KLM
Cargo, Lufthansa Cargo

Best Airline Lessor
Aviation Capital Group, AWAS, Babcock & Brown Aircraft Management,
DAE Capital, Engine Lease Finance Corp, Jetscape

Best Airline Finance Deal
Engine Lease Finance Corp (GSI engine sale), Macquarie (acquisition of
GATX Air), Morgan Stanley/Credit Suisse (Continental Airlines EETC), RBS
Aerospace (Airspeed securitization), Seabury Group (Northwest
restructuring), TAM (bond issue)

About OAG (Official Airline Guide)

OAG (www.oagcorporate.com) is a global flight information and data
solutions company for the passenger aviation, air cargo logistics and
business travel markets. It brings together buyers and sellers of air travel
and transport through the management and distribution of airline product
information; the supply of corporate travel planning tools; and the promotion
of travel and transport products.

The business is underpinned by its data management expertise. It is best
known for its airline schedules database which feeds the world's global
distribution systems and travel portals and drives the internal systems of
many airlines, air traffic control systems, aircraft manufacturers, airport
planners and government agencies.

OAG is part of Commonwealth Business Media (www.cbizmedia.com) a wholly
owned subsidiary of United Business Media plc (www.unitedbusinessmedia.com).

Web site: http://www.oagairlineawards.com
http://www.oagcorporate.com
http://www.cbizmedia.com
http://www.unitedbusinessmedia.com

Source: OAG

For further information, photography and media enquiries, please contact: Alison Pickering, Head of Corporate Communications of OAG, +44(0)1582-695477, apickering@oag.com

2008-05-14 13:16:24 0361698 PRNEWSWIRE