THE WHO’S WHO of the travel industry gathered once again at The Peninsula Beverly Hills to celebrate the Global Traveler 2016 GT Tested Reader Survey awards, Wines on the Wing airline wine competition, the Airline and Hotel of the Year, the Hall of Fame honorees and the Quint Status recipients. It was lucky number 13, as 2016 marked the 13th year for our prestigious awards; it was the also the sixth year the event was held at The Peninsula Beverly Hills.
More than 200 guests enjoyed the award-winning hospitality of the Los Angeles hotel hot spot, while guest of honor Mack Dryden, a comedian and motivational speaker, appeared on behalf of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The event also served as the kick-off for GT’s annual charity auction benefitting LLS.
Global Traveler’s GT Tested Reader Survey awards are the most respected in the luxury business travel industry. Winners are named based on the results of an open-ended reader survey. Chase Bank Credit Cards, multiple winner and Quint Status honoree, sponsored the night’s festivities, including a Dom Perignon raffle. The lucky winners included David Rezaieh, vice president, airline relations, Downtown Travel; Bernard Siew, vice president, process and system innovation, airport operations management, Changi Airport Group; Gunter Saurwein, vice president, the Americas, Qatar Airways; Jean-Christophe Murat, member, Global Traveler Globility Board; and Chema Alvarado, director, sales, oneworld. China Airlines, Airline of the Year winner, also sponsored the fete.
WINNERS’ CIRCLE
Aeroflot
Best Airline in Eastern Europe
Aeromexico
Best Airline in Mexico
Air Canada
Best Airline in North America
Air India
Best Airline in Central/South Asia & India
Air Tahiti Nui
Best Airline in the South Pacific
Alitalia
Best Airline Cuisine
All Nippon Airways
Best Airline to Japan
American Airlines
Best Airline for Domestic First Class
Best Red Wine International First Class
Best Red Wine International Business Class
Best North American Wines on the Wing
Best North American Sparkling Wine
Best North American White Wine
Best North American Red Wine
American Express
Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Promotions
Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Benefits
Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Benefits
Asiana Airlines
Best Airline for Onboard Service
Best Airline for Flight Attendants
Avianca
Best Frequent-Flyer Customer Service, Americas
Best Frequent-Flyer Award Redemption
Bank of America
Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card (Quint Status)
Boingo Wireless
Best WiFi Service
Briggs & Riley
Best Luggage Brand
British Airways
Best Champagne International First Class
Chase Bank Credit Cards
Best Credit Card (Quint Status)
Best Small-Business Credit Card
Best Credit Card Special Events
Best Credit Card Rewards Program (Quint Status)
Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card (Quint Status)
Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Redemptions
Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Redemptions
Chicago O’Hare International Airport
Best Airport in North America
China Airlines
Airline of the Year
Best Business-Class Seat Design
Best Airline in North Asia (excluding China)
Citibank
Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Promotions
Delta Air Lines
Best Airport Lounges
Dubai Duty Free
Best Duty-Free Shops (Hall of Fame)
EL AL Israel Airlines
Best Airline for Security (Hall of Fame)
Emirates
Best White Wine International First Class
EVA Air
Best Airport Staff/Gate Agents
Grupo Posadas
Best Hotel Chain in Mexico
Hainan Airlines
Fastest-Growing Airline in Asia
Best Airline in China (Quint Status)
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Best Airport Dining
Hawaiian Airlines
Best Frequent-Flyer Elite-Level Program
Hertz
Best Car Rental Company
Hyatt
Best Airport Hotel
Best Lifestyle Hotel
Best Frequent-Stay Customer Service, Americas
IHG Rewards Club
Best Hotel Rewards Program in the World
Ireland
Best Tourism Destination (Quint Status)
JetBlue
Best Airline Website
Jumeirah International
Best Hotel Chain in the Middle East
Best Individual Hotel in the World
LATAM Airlines Group
Best Airline to South America
Lotte Hotel, Seoul
Best Hotel in South Korea (Quint Status)
Best MICE Hotel
Lufthansa
Best Trans-Atlantic Airline
Marriott Rewards
Best Frequent-Stay Award Redemption
Meliá Hotels International
Hotel of the Year
Omni Hotels & Resorts
Best Frequent-Stay Bonus Program
oneworld
Best Airline Alliance
The Peninsula Beverly Hills
Best Hotel in the United States
Qantas Airways
Best Airline to Australia and New Zealand
Qatar Airways
Best Airline for International First Class
Best First-Class Seat Design
Best Airline in the Middle East
The Ritz-Carlton
Best International Hotel Chain
Best Domestic Hotel Chain
Best Hotel Club Floor
Best Hotel Website
Seoul
Best MICE City
Sheraton Hotels & Resorts
Best Hotel Chain in Latin America
Singapore Airlines
Best Overall Airline in the World
Best Airline for Business Class
Best International First Class Wines on the Wing
Best Champagne International First Class
Best International Business Class Wines on the Wing
Best Champagne International Business Class
Singapore Changi Airport
Best Overall Airport in the World
South African Airways
Best Airline in Africa
Tamron
Best Photographic Equipment
TAP Portugal
Best Airline for New Service Launch
Best Airline in Europe
Best White Wine International Business Class
United Airlines
Best Trans-Pacific Airline
Best Overall Frequent-Flyer Program
Best Frequent-Flyer Bonus Program
Verizon Wireless
Best Wireless Service in the World
Volvo
Best Overseas Delivery Program
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- David Gold, general manager, partnerships, Chase Bank Credit Cards; Tara Bakhle, marketing director, Chase Bank Credit Cards; Mack Dryden
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- Lisa Holladay, vice president, brand marketing, The Ritz-Carlton
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- Ouyang Chen, deputy service general manager, Hainan Airlines; Hainan Airlines flight attendants
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- Jayson Goh, managing director, airport operations, Changi Airport Group
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- Kristen Wendt, senior vice president, Citibank
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- Quida Hartley, customer service representative and platinum ambassador, Hertz; Aaron Medina, regional vice president, Hertz
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- Leimomi Hall, director of sales, North America, Hawaiian Airlines
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- David H.S. Kim, general manager and vice president, Hotel Lotte
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- Gunter Saurwein, vice president, Americas, Qatar Airways
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- Praveen Sharma, vice president, loyalty, United Airlines; Mack Dryden
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- Sinead El Sibai, senior vice president, marketing, Dubai Duty Free; Mack Dryden
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- Pradeep Ganatra, manager, Air India
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- Suzanne Shalaby, director of global sales, Americas, Jumeirah International
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- Vaihiria Kelley, marketing director, Air Tahiti Nui
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- Julie Vargo, vice president, consumer marketing, Boingo
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- Jean Saito, manager, public relations, marketing and sales, All Nippon Airways
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- Chema Alvarado, director of sales, oneworld
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- Trip Barrett, vice president, brand management, Latin America, Starwood Latin America
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- Todd Neuman, executive vice president, North America, South African Airways; Mack Dryden
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- Carlos Paneiro, vice president of sales, North America, TAP Portugal; Abilio Martins, senior vice president, digital commerce and communication, TAP Portugal; Trey Urbahn, chief commercial officer, TAP Portugal; Fernanda Ottavio, director, passenger sales and marketing, North America, TAP Portugal
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- Mandi Nather, associate manager, IHG Rewards Club, InterContinental Hotels Group; Mack Dryden; Kimberly Meneghel, campaign manager, InterContinental Hotels Group
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- Patrick Khoury, senior director sales, USA, Air Canada
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- Offer Nissenbaum, managing director, The Peninsula Beverly Hills; Mack Dryden
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- Vibhat Nair, general manager, Chase Bank Credit Cards
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- Daniel Munoz, associate director, business travel and consortia, Grupo Posadas; Mack Dryden
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- Benedetto Mencaroni Poiani, regional manager, North America, Alitalia; Mack Dryden
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- Gonzalo Robles Daud, North America division, sales, vice president, Aeromexico; Mack Dryden
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- Dragan Drobnjak, sales manager, USA, Aeroflot; Mack Dryden
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- Simon Lee, vice president, China Airlines; Mack Dryden
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- E Bae Kim, senior vice president, the Americas, Asiana Airlines; Mack Dryden
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- Alastair Hay-Campbell, vice president, southwest USA, Singapore Airlines; Mack Dryden
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- Michelle Lee, director of sales, Delta Air Lines
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- Theresa Chu, marketing manager, Marriott
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- Elizabeth Windram, director, brand management and advertising, JetBlue
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- Rene Mizwicki, senior director of marketing, Hyatt
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- Ryan Weikert, director, global roaming marketing, Verizon Wireless
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- Simon Brooks, senior vice president sales, North America, British Airways
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- Lisa Kalhans, co-brand product management, American Express
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- James Beattie, director, co-brand Hilton partnerships, Hilton; Alexandra Romero, director, Hilton product management, American Express
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- Ginger Evans, commissioner, Chicago Department of Aviation
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- Jennifer Plasket, senior vice president, deposit sales and marketing, Bank of America
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- Mario Jimenez, corporate sales manager, Avianca; Angelly Vivian Coccaro, marketing administrator, North America, Avianca
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- Diana Shaffer, manager, sales, Volvo Overseas Delivery; North Holbrook, commercial sales manager, Volvo Overseas Delivery
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- Yoram Elgrabli, managing director, North & Central America, EL AL Israel Airlines
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- Stephen Thompson, head of North America, Qantas; Mack Dryden
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- Jaeyong Kim, director, tourism policy division, Seoul
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- Matthias Schmid, vice president, sales, USA, Emirates
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- Peter Strebel, chief marketing officer, Omni Hotels & Resorts
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- Alison Metcalfe, executive vice president, USA & Canada, Tourism Ireland
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- Heike Birlenbach, chief commercial officer, Lufthansa; Tamur Goudarzi-Pour, vice president, the Americas, Lufthansa
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- Gregg Maniaci, president and CEO, Tamron USA, Inc.
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- Richard Krulik, CEO, Briggs & Riley
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- Fernand Fernandez, vice president of global marketing, American Airlines
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- Adam Myott, general manager, Grand Hyatt Incheon
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- Gary Huang, junior vice president, EVA Air
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- Chilly Ewing, airport concessions director, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
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- Pablo Chiozza, vice president, USA, Canada, Caribbean, LATAM Airlines Group
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- Connie Lacroes, regional marketing director, the Americas, Meliá Hotels International
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- Amanda Bailey, director of Hilton HHonors marketing, Hilton Worldwide
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