The World's Top 10 airlines announced at the 2010 World Airline Awards Asiana Airlines won the prestige Airline of the Year award at the 2010 World Airline Awards, that took place in Hamburg. Asiana Airlines was named winner of the Airline of the Year 2010 title, ahead of Singapore Airlines (2nd) and Qatar Airways in 3rd place. Some 40 different airlines from around the world assembled to receive their accolades, which were handed out by Mr Edward Plaisted, Chairman of Skytrax. The award winners are selected by the airline industry's most important audience, it's customers. More than 17.9 million air travellers from over 100 different nationalities took part in the 10 month survey, between July 2009 and April 2010. The awards are respected and recognised around the world for being the only truly global, independent passenger survey of airline standards, and are known as the Passenger's Choice awards. Commenting on the Airline of the Year 2010 award received by Asiana Airlines, Mr Plaisted said: "this is a fantastic achievement for Asiana Airlines to be named winner of this top Airline of the Year Award, and Asiana Airlines are clearly meeting and exceeding their customer's expectations. This award represents a true recognition of the front-line product and service that Asiana Airlines is delivering to it's customers, and the branding as the Passenger's Choice awards underlines the fact that Asiana Airlines are succeeding in satisfying the hardest critics - their users." Asiana Airlines President and CEO, Mr Young-Doo Yoon, said : "We would like to express our most heartfelt appreciation to our customers who voted us for Skytrax 2010 Airline of the Year Award. Asiana Airlines is extremely honored to be recognized as the world’s top airline by our customers and to be awarded our industry’s highly esteemed accolade from Skytrax. To be the winner of the 2010 Airline of the Year Award is even more special and holds greater meaning, as it is 'The Passenger's Choice'." The top 10 places in the 2010 Airline of the Year : 1. Asiana Airlines 2. Singapore Airlines 3. Qatar Airways 4. Cathay Pacific 5. Air New Zealand 6. Etihad Airways 7. Qantas Airways 8. Emirates 9. Thai Airways 10. Malaysia Airlines 2010 AIRLINE WINNERS - the Passenger's Choice awards Airline of the Year WINNER: Asiana Airlines Best Low-Cost Airline Worldwide WINNER: Air Asia Most Improved Airline WINNER: Garuda Indonesia Best Regional Airline WINNER: Dragonair Best Leisure / Charter Airline WINNER: Thomson Airways Best Cabin Staff WINNER: Singapore Airlines Best Inflight Entertainment WINNER: Emirates Best Airport Services WINNER: Thai Airways Best Economy Class WINNER: Malaysia Airlines Best Premium Economy Class WINNER: Qantas Best Business Class WINNER: Qatar Airways Best First Class WINNER: Etihad Airways Best Airline : Transatlantic WINNER: Virgin Atlantic Best Airline : Transpacific WINNER: Cathay Pacific Best Airline : Africa WINNER: South African Airways Best Airline : Asia WINNER: Asiana Airlines Best Airline : Australia/Pacific WINNER: Air New Zealand Best Airline : C America/Caribbean WINNER: TACA Airlines Best Airline : China WINNER: Hainan Airlines Best Airline : Eastern Europe WINNER: Malev Hiungarian Airlines Best Airline : Europe WINNER: Lufthansa Best Airline : India/Central Asia WINNER: Kingfisher Airlines Best Airline : Middle East WINNER: Qatar Airways Best Airline : North America WINNER: Air Canada Best Airline : Northern Europe WINNER: Finnair Best Airline : South America WINNER: LAN Airlines Best Airline : South East Asia WINNER: Singapore Airlines Best Airline : Southern Europe WINNER: Turkish Airlines Best Airline : Western Europe WINNER: Lufthansa Best Airline Alliance WINNER: Oneworld Alliance Best Airline Lounge - Business Class WINNER: Virgin Atlantic Best Airline Lounge - First Class WINNER: Thai Airways Best Airline Seat - Business Class WINNER: Singapore Airlines Best Airline Seat - Economy Class WINNER: Kingfisher Airlines Best Airline Seat - First Class WINNER: Etihad Airways Best Airline Seat - Premium Economy Class WINNER: Qantas Airways Best Low-Cost Airline Africa WINNER: Kulula Best Low-Cost Airline Asia WINNER: Air Asia Best Low-Cost Airline Australia/Pacific WINNER: Virgin Blue Best Low-Cost Airline Europe WINNER: Air Berlin Best Low-Cost Airline India WINNER: IndiGo Best Low-Cost Airline Middle East WINNER: Air Arabia Best Low-Cost Airline North America WINNER: Virgin America Best Low-Cost Airline South America WINNER: GOL Best Onboard Catering - Business Class WINNER: Qatar Airways Best Onboard Catering - Economy Class WINNER: Turkish Airlines Best Onboard Catering - First Class WINNER: Etihad Airways Staff Service Excellence Award - Africa WINNER: South African Airways Staff Service Excellence Award - Asia WINNER: Malaysia Airlines Staff Service Excellence Award - Australia/Pacific WINNER: Air New Zealand Staff Service Excellence Award - C America/Caribbean WINNER: TACA Airlines Staff Service Excellence Award - China WINNER: Hainan Airlines Staff Service Excellence Award - Europe WINNER: Swiss Int'l Airlines Staff Service Excellence Award - India/Central Asia WINNER: Kingfisher Airlines Staff Service Excellence Award - Middle East WINNER: Qatar Airways Staff Service Excellence Award - North America WINNER: WestJet Staff Service Excellence Award - South America WINNER: LAN Airlines