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Qatar bucks big guns at World Airline Awards

PARIS: The World Airline Awards, sometimes called the Oscars of the airline industry, have been announced at the Paris Air Show. The chosen top airline of 2017 is Qatar Airways named as World’s Best Airline. That’s controversial because tiny Qatar is currently caught up in a diplomatic crisis affecting a number of Middle East states.

tourismtransporteconomics
By Andrew J Wood

Saturday 24 June 2017 10:00 AM


Qatar Airways has been voted the World’s Best Airline.

Qatar Airways has been voted the World’s Best Airline.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have suspended ties with Qatar, severing air, sea and land links. But Qatar Airways is shrugging off the row, and will add 66 Airbus SE A350 planes over the next five years.

Taking top honours at the World Airline Awards will be another feather in the cap for Qatar Airways. The airline also picked up honours for World’s Best Business Class; Best First Class Airline Lounge and Best Airline in the Middle East.

Close to home Thai Airways (TG) received the awards for World’s Best Economy Class; Best Airline Lounge Spa Facility and Best Economy Class Onboard Catering.

Etihad Airways take top honours for World’s Best First Class; Best First Class Seat and Best First Class Onboard Catering. This marks the third time the airline has won all three First Class award categories at the World Airline Awards.

THE TOP TEN AIRLINES IN 2017 ARE:

1. Qatar Airways

2. Singapore Airlines

3. ANA All Nippon Airways

4. Emirates

5. Cathay Pacific

6. EVA Air

7. Lufthansa

8. Etihad Airways

9. Hainan Airlines

10. Garuda Indonesia

Some of the 2017 winning airlines and best airline alliance:

• Garuda Indonesia retains its prestigious title for World’s Best Cabin Staff.

• EVA Air has the world’s cleanest airplane cabins, say global travellers.

• Thai Airways wins a major award, being named world’s Best Airline Economy Class.

• Bangkok Airways wins the World’s Best Regional Airline award for the second consecutive year.

• Lufthansa is named the Best Airline in Europe and moves higher in the global rankings.

• Singapore Airlines business class seat is voted the world’s best by customers.

• Star Alliance takes gold for World’s Best Airline Alliance and World’s Best Airline Alliance Lounge.

No USA airline made it into the top 10.

This is the fourth time that Skytrax have staged the Awards event at Paris Air Show. The Air Show organisers (GIFAS) provided the fabulous Air and Space Museum as the venue. 

A-Z OF THE 2017 AIRLINE AWARD WINNERS

Aegean Airlines - Best Regional Airline in Europe

Aeroflot Russian Airlines - Best Airline in Eastern Europe

AirAsia - World’s Best Low-Cost Airline; Best Low-Cost Airline in Asia

AirAsia X - World’s Best Low Cost Airline Premium Cabin; World’s Best Low Cost Airline Premium Seat

Air Astana - Best Airline in Central Asia / India; Best Airline Staff Service in Central Asia / India

Air Canada - Best Airline in North America

Alaska Airlines - Best Regional Airline in North America; Best Airline Staff in North America

ANA All Nippon Airways - World’s Best Airport Services; Best Airline Staff Service in Asia

Austrian Airlines - Best Airline Staff Service in Europe

Avianca - Best Airline in South America; Best Regional Airline in South America

Azul Linhas Aereas Brasileiras - Best Low-Cost Airline in South America; Best Airline Staff in South America

Bangkok Airways - World’s Best Regional Airline; Best Regional Airline in Asia

Copa Airlines - Best Airline in Central America / Caribbean; Best Airline Staff in Central America / Caribbean

Emirates - World’s Best Airline Inflight Entertainment; Best First Class Comfort Amenities

Ethiopian Airlines - Best Airline in Africa

Etihad Airways - World’s Best First Class; Best First Class Seat; Best First Class Onboard Catering

EVA Air - World’s Best Airline Cabin Cleanliness; Best Business Class Comfort Amenities

Fastjet - Best Low-Cost Airline in Africa

Finnair - Best Airline in Northern Europe

Flynas - Best Low Cost Airline in the Middle East

Garuda Indonesia - World’s Best Cabin Crew

Hainan Airlines - Best Airline in China; Best Airline Staff Service in China

Indigo - Best Low-Cost Airline in Central Asia / India

Japan Airlines - Best Economy Class Airline Seat

Jetstar Airways - Best Low-Cost Airline in Australia / Pacific

Lufthansa - Best Airline in Europe; Best First Class Airline Lounge Dining; Best Airline in Western Europe

Norwegian - World’s Best Long Haul Low-Cost Airline; Best Low-Cost Airline in Europe

Oman Air - Best Airline Staff in the Middle East

Plaza Premium - World’s Best Independent Airport Lounge

Qantas - World’s Best Premium Economy Class; Best Premium Economy Class Airline Seat

Qatar Airways - World’s Best Airline; World’s Best Business Class; Best First Class Airline Lounge; Best Airline in the Middle East

Royal Air Maroc - Best Regional Airline in Africa

Saudi Arabian Airlines - World’s Most Improved Airline

Singapore Airlines - Best Airline in Asia; Best Business Class Airline Seat; Best Premium Economy Onboard Catering

South African Airways - Best Airline Staff in Africa

Star Alliance - World’s Best Airline Alliance; World’s Best Airline Alliance Lounge

Thai Airways - World’s Best Economy Class; Best Airline Lounge Spa Facility; Best Economy Class Onboard Catering

Thomson Airways - World’s Best Leisure Airline

Turkish Airlines - World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge; Best Business Class Onboard Catering; Best Business Class Lounge Dining; Best Airline in Southern Europe

Virgin Australia - Best Airline in Australia/Pacific; Best Airline Staff in Australia/Pacific

West Air - Best Low-Cost Airline in China

The prestigious World Airline Awards are widely considered to be a global benchmark of airline excellence.

Winners are chosen based on the votes and findings of a 10-month survey of over 19 million air travellers from 105 countries.

The survey covers over 325 airlines, from the largest international airlines to smaller domestic carriers, measuring quality standards for 41 key performance indicators across front-line product and service factors in the airport and onboard environments.