Feb 5, 2018
If you want to make sure you only fly with the very best in 2018, this latest airlines ranking is a good place to start. The annual assessment of the world’s air carriers has been released by AirlineRatings.com and when it comes top-class passenger experience, there’s one airline that continues to claim the number one spot.
AirlineRatings.com uses 13 criteria to create its rankings, examining the safety record of carriers (airlines must have a seven-star safety rating) as well as taking into account innovations in passenger comfort, passenger reviews, fleet age and environmental credentials.
It says the judging team places particular significance on the quality of premium economy seats on long-haul aircraft, which it says are “without a doubt the best value proposition for the passenger and airline”, and also checks that business class has flat beds.
“We are looking for leadership and airlines that innovate to make a real difference to the passenger experience, particularly in economy class,” the team said.
It said that though Air New Zealand topped the rankings for the fifth consecutive year, Qantas and Singapore Airline, both rolling out new aircraft in the form of Boeing 787s and Airbus A350s, are catching up.
- Air New Zealand
- Qantas
- Singapore Airlines
- VirginAustralia
- Virgin Atlantic
- Etihad Airways
- All Nippon Airways
- Korean Air
- Cathay Pacific
- Japan Airlines
And here are the category award-winners:
Airline of the Year: Air New Zealand
Best First Class: Singapore Airlines
Best Business Class: Virgin Australia
Best Premium Economy: Air New Zealand
Best Economy: Korean Air
Best Cabin Crew: Singapore Airlines
Best Catering: Qantas
Best Lounges: Qantas
Best In-flight Entertainment: Emirates
Best Domestic Class: Qantas
Regional Airline of the Year: Aegan Airlines (Greece)
Most Improved Airline: Tianjin Airlines (China)
Ultra-Low-Cost Airline: VietJetAir.com (Vietnam)
Best Long-Haul Airline: Etihad (for the Middle East and Africa), Korean Air (Asia-Pacific), Virgin Atlantic (Europe) and Air Canada (the Americas)
Best Low-Cost Airline: Westjet (the Americas), Scoot (Asia-Pacific) and Norwegian (Europe)
