China Airlines Chosen as No. 2 in Top Online Passenger Choice Airline Brands

China Airlines (CAL) was placed second among a top 10 passenger choice airline brands for 2015, according to Design Air, a leading site for airline product news and reviews.

Design Air said that it was surprised to see China Airlines so high on the list, but "there seems to be a lot of love for the carrier in Taiwan, maybe due to its next-generation program, which has seen new uniforms, food, in-flight entertainment, hard product, aircraft, and lounges rolled out across its network," it said.

The DesignAir judges were surprised and impressed by CAL's turnaround over the past 18 months, and it seems to have paid off with passengers too, the site said.

In response, CAL noted that since it began using Boeing 777-300ER airplanes last October, with oriental aesthetics and modern technology in cabin design, it has brought a new experience to its passengers.

Cathay Pacific was placed No. 1, while Eva Air was third in a lineup of mostly airlines based in the Asia Pacific region, including Singapore Airlines (4), Hawaiian Airlines (5) and Qantas (7).