Astonishing results expected tomorrow when the annual Business SuperBrands Top 500 Survey reveals beleaguered British Airways has returned to form in the eyes of marketers.
Despite almost continual concerns over the airline's future and the threat of industrial action hanging over it, BA will jump from an all-time low of 36th in 2009 to eight position in the list of 500 companies.
The full results will be unveiled tomorrow but it is understood that BA's excitement will be tempered slightly by news that arch rival Virgin Atlantic has reached fourth place.
BA was widely considered to have dropped so far in 2009 as a result of its problematic move to T5 at Heathrow in early-2008.
The annual and often controversial list is created by a combination of Expert Council and consumer vote. The organisation has repeatedly been forced to ensure sceptics that it is not a paid-for list.
SuperBrands says companies pay to be included in a glossy book it produces to coincide with the list but the list is independent and inclusion is carried out only by the judging process.
This year's council features top executives from the advertising, marketing, PR and media sectors around the UK.