The most predictable results are for the world's top 10 lines — all are based in Asia or the Middle East. From the top down, they're Qatar, Asiana, Singapore, Cathay Pacific, ANA, Etihad, Turkish, Emirates, Thai, and Malaysia. And even the next 10 are mostly Eastern Hemisphere — Garuda, Virgin Australia, EVA, Qantas, Korean, Hainan and Air New Zealand — with just two European lines, Lufthansa and its subsidiary Swiss; Air Canada, at number 19, is the lone North American representative. The only U.S. line to make even the third 10 is Virgin America, at 26; Alaska is the top U.S. network airline at, 49, and the top giant line is Delta, at 57.
Skytrax undoubtedly uses the largest sample of any airline survey. According to the site, the survey included "more than 18 million airline customers from over 100 different nationalities" and it "covered over 200 airlines," measuring "38 key performance indicators" from check-in to boarding, onboard seat comfort, cabin cleanliness, food, beverages, IFE, and staff service." Clearly, Skytrax is nothing if not thorough.
And those Skytrax top-10 lists generally agree with other big surveys. Although all the big airlines fly mainly the same kinds of planes, survey respondents everywhere seem to like the way the Asian, Middle Eastern and Pacific lines do it.
My take on this survey, however, is that the Skytrax sample vastly oversamples business-class travelers, for whom those eastern and Pacific lines really pour on the service and the extras. I flew Asiana and Turkish on my recent round-the-world frequent flyer, business-class blowout, and they certainly did an excellent job. On the other hand, I wouldn't rank them substantially above United (number 64) or Air China.
Skytrax, however, doesn't concentrate solely on business class. It also publishes separate results for economy class, and the top-10 list for economy closely resembles the overall list: Singapore, Qatar, Asiana, Garuda, ANA, Malaysia, Thai, and Cathay Pacific are the top nine, with Virgin America coming in at number 10.
It also publishes scores for premium economy: Qantas, Turkish, Air New Zealand, British Airways, EVA, Virgin Australia, Virgin Atlantic, Japan, and Air France. I can't argue, especially given that only a few other airlines even offer a genuine premium economy option.
Virgin America also scores well in the Skytrax breakout for domestic flights on North American lines — at number one — but my reaction to this list is, "What were the respondents smoking?" The list runs this way: Virgin America, WestJet, Alaska, Southwest, JetBlue, American Eagle, Porter, Frontier, Volaris, and Spirit. OK, I get that folks like Virgin America's cabin decor, in-flight entertainment, and Branson's unique hype, but JetBlue provides a measurably better product. And American Eagle at number 6? Give me a break: That line consistently places in the lower half of the annual DOT consumer scores for complaints, delayed arrivals, and canceled flights among all reporting U.S. carriers. As for Spirit in the top 10, that's really weird. Even if there were 50 airlines in the U.S, most travelers wouldn't include Spirit in the top 49: Its product is lousy, and it's notorious for the number and cost of the fees it piles on top of its supposedly "low" fares.
In the final analysis, then, these scores provide little guidance when you're selecting an airline. For almost all of you, I'm pretty sure that the fare, the schedule, and frequent-flyer considerations trump Skytrax or any other airline ranking. But, if nothing else, they're fun to read.
July 17, 2012|By Ed Perkins, Tribune Media Services
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-07-17/travel/sns-ed-perkins-predictable-results-on-skytrax-top-airline-award-list-20120717_1_big-airlines-asiana-premium-economy
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2012 - The world's best airlines
Asian and Middle Eastern airlines take most of the honors at the annual Skytrax World Airline Awards. But who came out on top?
Once again, Qatar flies higher than the others.
Qatar Airways has flown away with the title of World’s Best Airline for the second consecutive year. It took the Airline of the Year prize in Skytrax’s annual World Airline Awards, announced at theFarnborough International Airshow in England.
South Korea’s Asiana Airlines and Singapore Airlines followed in second and third place. Air New Zealand and Qantas Airways fell out of the top 10 -- spots they won last year -- while ANA All Nippon Airways and Malaysia Airlines made their top 10 debuts. The top 10 was dominated by airlines from Asia and the Middle East.
Skytrax collected opinions from 18 million international fliers between July 2011 and June 2012 on different aspects of airline passenger experience -- from check-in to in-flight entertainment.
Etihad Airways won Best First Class Airline, taking home the Best First Class Catering and Best First Class Seat awards too. Cathay Pacific has the Best Business Class while Singapore Airlines won the Best Economy Class award, and also the Best Economy Class Catering award. The Best Airline Signature Dish and Best Cabin Staff went to Malaysia Airlines. The Kuala Lumpur-based carrier serves delicious satay chicken and beef sticks onboard.
The 2012 World Airline Awards
Airline of the year:
1. Qatar Airways
2. Asiana Airlines
3. Singapore Airlines
4. Cathay Pacific Airways
5. ANA All Nippon Airways
6. Etihad Airways
7. Turkish Airlines
8. Emirates
9. Thai Airways
10. Malaysia Airlines
Top 11-100 can be found here.
Best first class airline:
1. Etihad Airways
2. Singapore Airlines
3. ANA All Nippon Airways
The full list is here.
Best business class airline:
1. Cathay Pacific Airways
2. Qatar Airways
3. Oman Air
The full list is here.
Best economy class airline:
1. Singapore Airlines
2. Qatar Airways
3. Asiana Airlines
The full list is here.
Best cabin staff:
1. Malaysia Airlines
2. Asiana Airlines
3. EVA Air
The full list is here.
Best seats:
First class: Etihad Airways
Business class: Oman Air
Premium economy: Turkish Airlines
Economy class: Asiana Airlines
Best catering:
First class: Etihad Airways
Business class: SWISS International Air Lines
Premium economy: Qantas Airways
Economy class: Singapore Airlines
Signature dish: Malaysia Airlines
Best inflight entertainment: Emirates
Best regional airlines: Garuda Indonesia
Best low-cost airlines: AirAsia
Most improved airlines: China Eastern Airlines
Find the rest of the results here.
http://travel.cnn.com/explorations/life/2012-world-airline-awards-956445
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2010 - The world’s top airlines
Asiana Airlines has been voted the world's top airline for 2010 in the annual survey conducted by Britain aviation consultancy SkyTrax. With that, the South Korean carrier edged out perennial heavyweight Singapore Airlines, which came in at No. 2.
Asian and Middle Eastern dominated SkyTrax' global top 10 rankings, which did not include a single North American carrier. Australia's Qantas and Air New Zealand were the only carriers not from either of those regions to finish in the top 10.
The rest of the rankings: No. 3 Qatar Airways, No. 4 Cathay Pacific, No. 5 Air New Zealand, No. 6 Etihad Airways, No. 7 Qantas, No. 8 Emirates, No. 9 Thai Airways and No. 10 Malaysia Airlines.
In a press release, SkyTrax says nearly 18 million fliers from over 100 countries participated in the 10-month survey, which was conducted between July 2009 and April 2010. SkyTrax says "the survey measures over 38 different items of customer satisfaction for each airline's product and service standards."
"The award slogan of 'The Passenger's Choice' underlines the fact that Asiana Airlines are succeeding in satisfying the hardest critics — their users," Skytrax chairman Edward Plaisted is quoted as saying by Reuters.
Meanwhile, Canadian airlines took the top spot in two of the three big categories focusing on North America. Air Canada was named the top North American airline, edging out No. 2 Continental and No. 3 Delta.
For the best service among North American airlines, Canada's WestJet took the top honor to finish ahead of No. 2 Virgin America and No. 3 Alaska Airlines.
And, for the best North American low-cost carriers, Virgin America bested No. 2 WestJet and No. 3 Southwest.
Also of interest to North American passengers, the oneworld alliance -- anchored by American -- was named the world's best frequent-flier alliance. That vaulted oneworld into the top spot over the Star Alliance, which includes United, Continental, US Airways and Air Canada as its North American carriers.
Skytrax' Plaisted called it "a fantastic achievement for oneworld to be named Best Alliance, displacing Star Alliance that had been a repeated winner in earlier years. The award for Best Alliance is built around an extensive survey of different airline alliance travelers across the world, and our key focus is to determine which alliance is serving it's customers in the most efficient manner."
Winners of other categories:
Best low-cost airline: 1. AirAsia; 2. Air Berlin; 3. Virgin Blue
Best regional airline: 1. Dragonair; 2. Silkair; 3.Bangkok Airways
Most-improve airline:1. Garuda Indonesia; 2. Hainan Airlines; 3. Oman Air
Best leisure airline: 1. Thomson Airways; 2. TUIFly; 3. Monarch Airlines
Best in-flight entertainment: 1. Emirates; 2. Singapore Airlines; 3. Virgin Atlantic
Best cabin staff: 1. Singapore Airlines; 2. Malaysia Airlines; 3. Asiana Airlines
Best airline alliance: 1. oneworld; 2. Star Alliance; 3. SkyTeam
Best trans-Atlantic airline: 1. Virgin Atlantic; 2. British Airways; 3. Lufthansa
Best trans-Pacific airline: 1. Cathay Pacific; 2. Singapore Airlines; 3. Asiana
Best first-class airline: 1. Etihad; 2. Singapore Airlines; 3. Qantas
Best business-class airline: 1. Qatar Airways; 2 Singapore Airlines; 3. Etihad
Best premium economy class: 1. Qantas; 2. Air New Zealand; 3. ANA
Best economy class: 1. Malaysia Airlines; Qatar Airways; 3. Singapore Airlines
Today's talker: Do you agree with these rankings? Or do you think these surveys are nothing more popularity contests that do not accurately assess the quality of the airlines? Share your thoughts, and tell us which airlines you think sould be considered among the world's -- and North America's -- best.
Posted May 21 2010 10:50AM - By Ben Mutzabaugh, USA TODAY
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