The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines (VNA) has been named as the world's leading airline in the premium economy class and the world's leading cultural airline at the World Travel Awards 2017.

The awards were presented to the airline at a gala ceremony on December 10^th in Vietnam’s resort island of Phu Quoc.

Vietnam Airlines representatives at the awards ceremony.

VNA’s Deputy Director general Le Hong Ha said the carrier was honoured to receive the prestigious awards.

He added that such awards affirm Vietnam Airlines’ remarkable progress and are proof of the airline’s commitments to bringing Vietnamese cultural characteristics to its modern Boeing 787 and A350 aircraft.

Last year, VNA was named as Asia’s leading airline in the economy class and Asia’s leading cultural airline.

For 2017, VNA is also among the world’s best airlines in the economy class as selected by Skytrax, an airline rating company.

VNA is offering premium economy class on international flights to France, the UK, and Germany and plans to roll out the service for flights to Australia and Japan from January 1^st, 2018.

The World Travel Awards were established in 1993, serving to acknowledge, reward, and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry.

At the 2017 awards ceremony, Vietnam’s InterContinental Da Nang Sun Peninsula Resort was honoured as the world's leading luxury resort for the fourth consecutive time, while JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort won the world's leading new resort category./.

VNF/NDO