Aer Lingus has become the first Irish airline to be awarded a 4-star rating by air transport rating organisation Skytrax.
The carrier achieved the rating following a range of audits conducted by Skytrax to measure the quality of front-line product, and staff service standards both in the air and on the ground.
Aer Lingus joins other airlines that had already attained 4-star status, which include Air France, Emirates, Lufthansa, and British Airways (which like Aer Lingus is a subsidiary of IAG).
Fellow Irish airline Ryanair has a 2-star rating from Skytrax, while CityJet has a 3-star rating.
Only eight carriers have 5-star status according to Skytrax, including Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines.
Speaking at the announcement today, Aer Lingus chief executive Stephen Kavanagh said: "2016 is shaping up to be a standout year in the airline's history as not only does our transatlantic expansion continue to accelerate and we celebrate 80 years of flying, now we can also we stand proud as Ireland's only 4-Star airline".
Skytrax highlighted how Aer Lingus has grown Dublin as a leading gateway to North America, helped by its US customs pre-clearance facility at Dublin Airport.
The UK-based rating organisation also said the new Aer Lingus Business Class experience was a key factor in securing the 4-Star rating, while its staff friendliness was also an important aspect of the carrier's offering.
