Aer Lingus has been voted the best western European carrier in a poll conducted by UK research company Skytrax. Virgin Atlantic was the only British carrier to take an award in the largest global survey of air passengers.

Virgin was voted best transatlantic airline in the worldwide survey of 2.7 million passengers who voted Middle East carrier Emirates the best airline. Second to Emirates was Singapore Airlines, with Cathay Pacific third, British Airways fourth and then Thai Airways.

BA also just missed out in the best European airline category which was won by German national carrier Lufthansa.

Of the 2.7 million people who voted, 32 per cent regularly travelled in first or business class on corporate business, 24 per cent travelled on economy class for corporate purposes and 44 per cent travelled in economy class on leisure trips.