Tourism & Hospitality | Saturday 16 July, 2016 6:24 am |

Gulf-based mega carriers Emirates and Qatar Airways have bagged most of the top categories in this year’s World Airline Awards.

Air travelers have voted for Emirates as the World's Best Airline, with Qatar Airways ranking second, in the 2016 World Airline Awards held at Farnborough Airshow in UK on Tuesday.

Coming in third was Singapore Airlines.

The other airlines making the top 10 ranking were Cathay Pacific, ANA All Nippon Airways, Etihad Airways, Turkish Airlines, EVA Air, Qantas Airways, and Lufthansa respectively.

Emirates Airlines’ President Tim Clark said that the carrier was “honored to be recognized.”

“Emirates has always put our customers at the heart of what we do,” he added.

“The fact that these awards are based on the direct feedback from passengers is gratifying and a wonderful recognition for all of the hard work that’s gone into creating the Emirates experience.”

Emirates also retained its stranglehold on the World's Best Inflight Entertainment category with another strong performance.

In addition to these top awards, Emirates improved its position across a range of awards categories performing well in First, Business and Economy Class survey sections and achieving a top-10 finish in the World's Best Cabin Staff category.

Qatar Airways, besides the second in the global ranking, also won a range of top awards -- the World's Best Business Class, the World's Best Business Class lounge and Best Airline Staff in the Middle East.

Qatar Airways chief Akbar al-Baker called the award “a very proud moment for Qatar Airways” and that the carrier’s “expanding global network” would “set [the airline] apart from the competition.”