CAL voted best regional carrier for second year

(Trinidad Express) National carrier, Caribbean Airlines, has been voted the region’s best airline for the second year in a row by the World Travel Awards.

The award comes just over two months after a CAL plane crashed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport in Guyana.

Transport Minister Devant Maharaj yesterday congratulated the George Nicholas chaired CAL board for the award.

“I just want to add my congratulations to the board and management of CAL and the passengers who selected CAL as the airline of choice,” Maharaj told the Express in a telephone interview yesterday.

“This award reinforces the dynamism of the board and the wealth of talent in the board and the management team,” Maharaj said.

On July 30, CAL flight BW 523 overshot the runway at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport in Guyana and broke in two.

None of the 163 passengers and crew members on board flight BW523 were killed but several sustained injuries.

Air Canada, American Airlines, Bahamasair, Delta Airlines and Liat were the other nominees in the “Caribbean Leading Airline for 2011” category of the 18th World Travel Awards.

“The World Travel Awards is the most prestigious, comprehensive and sought after awards programme in the global travel and tourism industry,” a release from CAL stated.

“To be voted a World Travel Awardee through a process involving 183,000 travel tourism and hospitality professionals across the globe, is the highest accolade a company can receive,” CAL Senior Marketing Manager Alicia Cabrera stated.

Coco Reef Resort and Spa in Tobago was named the Caribbean’s Leading Hotel and Tobago’s Leading Resort , according to the World Travel Awards.

Blue Haven Hotel was named Tobago’s Leading Hotel and Hyatt Regency was named Trinidad’s leading hotel according the World Travel Awards.