The top 20 airlines in the world
The top 20 airlines in the world
Skytrax, based in the United Kingdom, announced the highly
anticipated 2021 World Airline Awards on Tuesday, dubbed the "Oscars
of airlines." The awards are based on customer surveys collected over
a 20-month period, from January 2020 to August 2021, and include
both normal travel times and pandemic travel. While the pandemic
caused some airline positions to shift in comparison to 2019, a handful
of core airlines remained at the top of the rankings.
Branded as the Passenger's Choice Awards, over 13 million travellers
worldwide nominated their favourite airline in a survey and ranked
specific aspects of the customer experience on a scale of one to five,
including cabin service, COVID-19 response, ground/airport services,
and the onboard product. The survey results included over 350 airlines.
Qatar Airways won the gold medal for the sixth time since 2001, with
Singapore Airlines coming in second and Japan-based ANA All Nippon
Airways coming in third. Qatar also won five other awards, including
Best Business Class, Best Business Class Seat, Best Airline in the
Middle East, Best Business Class Airline Lounge in the World, and
Best Business Class Onboard Catering.
Singapore Airlines has been named the World's Best Airline Cabin
Crew, World's Best First Class, World's Best First Class Seat, Best
Economy Class Onboard Catering, and Asia's Best Airline. ANA was
named World's Best Airport Services, Best Airline Staff in Asia, Best
First Class Lounge in Asia, and World's Best Airline Cabin Cleanliness,
a notable accomplishment in the aftermath of the pandemic.
COVID-19 Airline Excellence awards were given to all three carriers.
Other notable winners included Saudi Arabian Airlines, which was
named Most Improved Airline, Singapore's subsidiary Scoot, which
was named Best Long Haul Low-Cost Airline, and Spain-based Vueling,
which was named Best Low-Cost Airline in Europe.
No North American airline made the top 20, though Delta Air Lines
was the highest ranked overall, at number 30. Best Airline in North
America, Best Premium Economy Class Airline Seat, Best Business
Class in North America, and Best Premium Economy Class in North
America were all given to the Atlanta-based carrier.
20. Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand remained in the top 20 airlines in the world in 2021, but fell four spots from 2019. The Auckland-based carrier, founded in 1940, serves over 50 domestic and international destinations in New Zealand, Australia, the Pacific, Asia, and North America.
The Koru is featured on the tail of the company's aircraft, which is a pattern known as "mangpare," or hammerhead shark. Koru derives from the Mori, the indigenous peoples of mainland New Zealand, and Mangpare represents strength, tenacity, and resilience.
19. Bangkok Airways
Bangkok Airways fell two spots to number 19 on the list of the world's top airlines for 2021, but it retained its titles as the World's Best Regional Airline and the Best Regional Airline in Asia.
The airline was founded in 1968 and currently serves over 20 Asian destinations, including Thailand, China, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Singapore, and Vietnam.
18. Swiss International Air Lines
17. Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines jumped 18 spots this year, from 35 to 17, putting it in
the top 20 list for 2021. The Istanbul-based carrier was founded in
1933 and was the world's largest mainline carrier by number of
destinations served in 2019, flying to 315 cities across Europe, Asia,
Africa, and the Americas.
Turkish was named Best Airline in Southern Europe, Best Business
Class Lounge in Europe, Best Economy Class in Europe, and COVID-
19 Airline Excellence in Skytrax's World Airline Awards.
16. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines jumped two spots in the rankings for
2021, landing at number 16. The Amsterdam-based airline was
founded in 1919, making it the world's oldest carrier still operating
under its original name, and it serves 140 destinations worldwide,
including 92 in Europe.
15. Garuda Indonesia
14. Aeroflot Russian Airlines
Aeroflot Russian Airlines rose from 22 to 14 this year, putting it in the
top 20 airlines list for 2021. The Russian flag carrier was founded in
1923, making it one of the world's oldest active carriers, and it is one
of the country's most recognisable brands.
This year, Aeroflot won two awards: Best Airline in Eastern Europe
and Best Airline in Russia, as well as a COVID-19 Airline Excellence
award. The airline serves more than 160 domestic and international
destinations in 55 countries.
13. Lufthansa
Lufthansa dropped out of the top ten best airlines in 2019 and will be ranked 13 in 2021. This year, Germany's flag carrier received the COVID-19 Airline Excellence award for Best First Class Airline Lounge,
Best First Class Onboard Catering, and Best First Class in Europe. Lufthansa is Europe's second-largest airline in terms of passenger traffic, serving over 200 destinations worldwide.
12. China Southern Airlines
China Southern Airlines moved up two spots in this year's rankings, from
14th in 2019 to 12th in 2021. China Southern Airlines was founded in 1988
as a result of a merger of several domestic airlines, and it is now one of
China's "Big Three" carriers, along with Air China and China Eastern
Airlines.
Due to the pandemic, the carrier surpassed American Airlines to become the
world's largest airline by seat capacity in October 2020. China Southern
serves over 200 destinations in China and around the world.
11. British Airways
British Airways climbed eight spots to number 11 in 2021, just missing the top ten. The carrier from the United Kingdom won three awards, including Best Airline Staff in Europe,
Best Premium Economy Onboard Catering, and Best Airline in the United Kingdom, as well as a COVID-19 Airline Excellence award. The airline is based at Heathrow Airport in London and serves over 200 destinations in 83 countries.
10. Air France
Air France rounds out the top ten airlines in 2021, rising 13 spots from 23 in 2019. The Paris-based airline was founded in 1933, making it one of the world's oldest carriers, and it currently serves nearly 200 destinations worldwide.
This year, Air France received four awards: Best Airline in Europe, Best Airline in Western Europe, Best Airline in France, and COVID-19 Airline Excellence.
9. Hainan Airlines
Hainan Airlines was ranked ninth in 2021, down two spots from 2019.
This year, the China-based airline was named Best Airline in China,
Best Airline Staff in China, and Best Business Class in China, as well
as receiving a COVID-19 Airline Excellence award.
Hainan Airlines was founded in 1993 and has grown from a small
domestic carrier to a large global carrier serving nearly 100
destinations around the world.
8. Qantas Airways
Qantas Airways remained ranked eighth in this year's rankings. This
year, the Australia-based carrier won two awards: Best Airline in
Australia/Pacific and Best Airline Staff in Australia/Pacific.
AirlineRatings.com named Qantas the world's safest airline, and it is
the world's oldest continuously operating airline after KLM suspended
service during WWII. Qantas, also known as The Flying Kangaroo,
flies to over 85 major cities around the world.
7. EVA Air
EVA Air, which stands for Evergreen Airways, fell one spot to number
seven in 2021. The Taiwanese airline serves 50 international
destinations in 20 countries and has four domestic routes.
AirlineRatings.com ranked EVA as the sixth safest carrier in the world,
a three-position drop from 2020.
6. Cathay Pacific Airways
Cathay Pacific Airways, or simply Cathay Pacific, dropped two places
from fourth to sixth place in 2019. The Hong Kong flag carrier won one
award, Best Business Class Lounge in Asia, as well as a COVID-19
Airline Excellence award.
Cathay Pacific has flights to 70 destinations in 29 countries around
the world.
5. Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines has secured a spot among the top five airlines,
moving up six spots from eleventh place in 2019.
This year, Japan's flag carrier won three awards: World's Best
Economy Class, Best Economy Class Airline Seat, and Best Economy
Class in Asia, as well as a COVID-19 Airline Excellence award. JAL
serves 90 domestic and international destinations.
4. Emirates
Emirates jumped one spot in 2021, up from number five in 2019. The
Dubai-based airline took home three awards this year, including World's
Best Airline Inflight Entertainment, Best First Class in the Middle East, and
COVID-19 Airline Excellence.
Emirates serves over 130 international destinations and operates the largest
fleet of A380 aircraft in the world.
3. ANA All Nippon Airways
ANA All Nippon Airways, or ANA, maintained its third-place ranking in
the 2021 rankings. The Japanese airline received four awards,
including World's Best Airline Cabin Cleanliness, World's Best Airport
Services,
Best Airline Staff in Asia, and Best First Class Lounge in Asia, as well
as the COVID-19 Airline Excellence award. ANA is Japan's largest
airline in terms of passenger traffic, serving over 100 domestic and
international destinations.
2. Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines ranked second this year after being named the best
airline in the world in 2018. The airline was named World's Best Airline
Cabin Crew, Best Airline in Asia, World's Best First Class, World's Best
First Class Seat, Best Economy Class Onboard Catering, and COVID-
19 Airline Excellence.
Singapore has one of the world's youngest aircraft fleets, flying to over
75 destinations worldwide.
1. Qatar Airways
The young airline was founded in 1993 and has since expanded to
serve over 140 destinations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia,
North America, and South America.
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