Holiday Extras know this and this is why they have asked their customers to vote for the companies that they think are the best performers in the travel industry. The awards have been held by Holiday Extras for the last three years and each year they are becoming more and more popular amongst the users of HolidayExtras.co.uk.

This year 66,000 people voted and this almost triples the number who voted last year in 2010. This alone just goes to prove that the fact that there are no travel industry fat cats choosing the winners from their offices means that customers find them truthful and useful awards.

The last awards were held in London on September 15th and saw the movers and shakers from the travel world come together to celebrate the companies that are considered to be at the top of their game right
now.

The top performing companies in the travel industry for 2011 as decided by the Holiday Extras Customer Awards 2011 are as follows:

- Best Airline: Emirates
- Best Airline Cabin Crew: Emirates
- Best Airline for Value for Money: easyJet
- Best Airport: Belfast International
- Best Airport Car Park: Edinburgh Park and Fly
- Best Airport Hotel: Gatwick Sofitel
- Best Airport Hotel Restaurant: Manchester Premier Inn
- Best Airport Lounge: Edinburgh Servisair
- Best Airport Hotel for families:
Manchester Premier Inn
- Best Airline for Travelling with Babies: Virgin Atlantic
- Best Airline for Travellers with a Disability: Virgin Atlantic
- Most Inspirational Travel Film: Shirley Valentine
- Best Travel Guide Publisher: Lonely Planet

What has really made these awards so successful is that the awards are truthful and really empower the customers. It means that future travellers will be able to quickly find out who the best companies are
for specific categories and will be able to help them sort through the world of travel and holidays (which come people can find overwhelming).

Holiday Extras are extremely proud of what they are achieving with these awards and there are huge plans to make the awards bigger and better as each year passes.

This means that next year there will be more categories and more customers invited to vote. Watch this space, because it looks like these awards are going to get exciting!

We all also know how stressful it is going on holiday and the effort it takes in physically getting to the airport, and then on to our chosen destination. Flying for most people is bad enough, but departure and the check-in desk can be much, much worse.

However, there is a solution (hurrah!). Websites such as HolidayExtras.com can put you out of your holiday departure hell and make sure you start your holiday as you mean to go on. And the answer lies in an airport hotel. Now I know these seem alien and only used by the mysterious business type, but trust me, you couldn’t be more wrong.

Whether you stay in one of the discount Manchester airport hotels, Stansted airport hotels, Dublin airport hotels or book one of the Gatwick hotels and parking package, these hotels won’t disappoint. A great many of them have swimming pools, health clubs and leisure facilities which will keep all the family entertained. These hotels also have an array of restaurants and bars so you can enjoy a great meal before your holiday has even begun.

So if you have a stupidly early morning flight, instead of starting your holiday with that pre-holiday departure stress, book into one of these hotels the night before and enjoy all the great facilities on offer so you are refreshed, well-fed and ready to get on that plane! What’s more, a vast majority of these hotels lead directly to the airport so you don’t even have to rush. Just enjoy the hotel breakfast and casually travel to the airport with plenty of time on your hands.

This year make sure you start your holiday on the right foot and book yourself in to an airport hotel; I promise you it will be worth it!