Holiday Extras honours best in air travel

Holiday Extras, the UK's leading provider of travel add-ons, revealed the winners of the inaugural Holiday Extras Customers’ Awards this week.

Winners and runners up in 10 categories including best airline, best UK airport, best airport car park, best airport hotel, the airline with the best cabin crew and those recommended as most family-friendly were presented with their accolades at a stylish ceremony at London's Hempel Hotel on Monday evening.

High profile winners included Virgin Atlantic for best airline, easyJet for best cabin crew, British Airways as most recommended airline for travellers with a disability, Liverpool John Lennon for best airport and best airport car park, and Crowne Plaza Heathrow for best airport hotel.

The ceremony was hosted by leading travel writer and TV personality Simon Calder, with awards presented by Holiday Extras' non-executive chairman Gerry Pack.

“We asked our customers what they thought of their air travel experience, and they responded in their thousands. We believe the results represent the real views of holiday travellers.

"We are extremely proud to present the first Holiday Extras Customers’ Awards to very deserving winners. These organisations have set a benchmark for top quality service which our customers have recognised,” said Gerry.

Paul Charles, Virgin's director of communications, said: "We're thrilled to bits that we've been chosen as best airline. Twenty-five years after we first flew, we're still pioneering and offering travellers the best experience in the air. Thank you to all those who voted for us - we're still red hot."

The awards were voted for by 18,000 Holiday Extras customers between May and September 2009.