Airline wins prestigious award at KLIA annual event

T WAS the ultimate recognition for Oman Air when it beat two other newcomer airlines to win the “Promising New Foreign Airline of the Year” award in the sixth edition of the KLIA Annual Award held recently.

Malaysia Airports Berhad (MAB), honoured Oman Air with the award for exceptional performance for the year 2010.

In 2010, MAB had laid the welcome mat for three new airlines — Oman Air, Royal Jordanian and Mahan Air — and all three were automatic contenders for the award.

Job well done: Leong (left) receiving the award from Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha while Malaysia Airports chairman Tan Sri Datuk Dr Aris Othman (second from right) and Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad managing director and CEO Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad (right) look on.

Oman Air stood out with its dynamic and strategic offerings, technologically innovative onboard performance and its smart alliances among other attributes.

MAB recognised Oman Air’s excellence in boosting passenger traffic despite being a newcomer.

The win itself was primarily based on the comparison of the highest passenger volume by a new foreign carrier operating at KLIA.

Oman Air chief officer (corporate affairs) Philippe Georgiou said they viewed the win as a deserving accolade.

“Our team has been determined from the beginning to take Oman Air from beyond the sandy shores of Oman to the greener grassy borders of the fast-growing South-East-Asian region.”

He said that the KLIA award offered recognition to different categories of airlines and service providers in KLIA.

“The winners were chosen based on their 2010 feat in sectors such as passenger movement, growth factor, sales performance, international recognition as well as their service performance. Incidentally, the award ceremony itself was also a unique event since it coincided with Malaysia’s 100-year celebration in the aviation industry.”

He added that Malaysia’s aviation industry was undergoing rapid growth and has become an important air transport hub for South-East Asia and beyond.

The award was presented to Oman Air district sales manager Kathleen Leong who had been instrumental in spearheading Oman Air’s foray into Malaysia.

“Together with the Oman Air team in Muscat, we have made a hugely positive impact on the Malaysian landscape. This win will be the catalyst for greater forward momentum in the years ahead,” said Leong.

First introduced in 2006, the KLIA Awards is Malaysia’s one and only aviation award in the country and it pays tribute to the best performers in aviation industry.