The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

A leading travel magazine, The Bangladesh Monitor, has decided to introduce the first ever 'Airline of the Year Award'. The aim of the award is to evaluate the service to the passengers of the airlines and create a healthy competition amongst the carriers.

The award winner will be decided on the opinion polls of the frequent travellers. Leading cell-phone company Aktel will sponsor the 'Monitor-Aktel Airline of the year Award-2007.'

This was disclosed at a press conference at a city hotel yesterday afternoon. At least five thousand frequent travellers will give their opinions in 13 categories of questions in a specific form distributed by the organizers. Opinion can be sent online by logging into www.bangladeshmonitor.net/award. The deadline of taking opinion is October 30 and the award will be given in the last week of November 2007.

While disclosing this to journalists Editor of The Bangladesh Monitor Kazi Wahidul Alam said the airline sector of the country was expanding rapidly but traveling by air was also becoming expensive.

Wahidul Alam said the rate of increase in the number of airway passengers in the country was almost double than the rest of the world and the award aimed at creating a competitive mentality among the airlines.

The award programme is supported by the newly inaugurated hotel, The Westin Dhaka, and Galileo Bangladesh, while the media partners are Channel-I and ICE today.

Javed Tariq, Head of Corporate Affairs, Aktel, San Amalan, General Manager the Westin Dhaka, Tofael Ibne Solaiman, General Sales Manager of Galileo Bangladesh were present at the press conference.