Qatar Airways named World’s Best Airline in 2015 Skytrax Awards

Virgin America highest-ranked U.S. airline at No. 26


Qatar Airways has received the honor of being named the World’s Best Airline in the 2015 World Airline Awards announced June 16 at the Paris Air Show at Le Bouget in metropolitan Paris.

The ranking, presented by Skytrax, is the result of voting by airline passengers from around the world who take part each year in what is called the world’s largest airline passenger satisfaction survey.

“Skytrax World Airline Awards are coveted quality accolades for the world airline industry,” the organization said on its website. “The World Airline Awards are a global benchmark of airline excellence, and widely known as the Passengers Choice awards.”

The other airlines named as the world’s ten best, in order, are Singapore Airlines, China’s Cathay Pacific Airways, Turkish Airlines, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA), Garuda Indonesia, Taiwan’s Eva Air, and Qantas.

The complete World's Best list ranks the world's top 100 airlines. The highest-ranked U.S. airline on that list was Virgin America at No. 26. The "big three" U.S. carriers Delta (NYSE:DAL), United (NYSE:UAL) and American (NYSE:AAL) were Nos. 45, 60 and 79, respectively. Regional carrier Alaska Airlines (NYSE:ALK) was No. 65.

The survey also rates other aspects of air travel and grants global awards for Best Low-Cost Airlines, Best Airline Cabin Staff, Best Regional Airlines, Most Improved Airlines, Best Leisure Airlines, Best Airport Services, Best Airline Alliance, Best In-flight Entertainment, and Best Airline Cabin Cleanliness.

  Best Low-Cost Airlines
  1. AirAsia
  2. Virgin America
  3. Norwegian
  4. easyJet
  5. Jetstar Airways
  6. AirAsiaX
  7. Indigo
  8. WestJet
  9. Jetstar Asia
  10. Scoot
Best Airline Cabin Staff
  1. Garuda Indonesia
  2. Cathay Pacific
  3. Singapore Airlines
  4. Asiana Airlines
  5. Malaysia Airlines
  6. Qatar Airways
  7. EVA Air
  8. ANA All Nippon Airways
  9. Thai Airways
  10. Hainan Airlines
Best Regional Airlines
  1. Dragonair
  2. Bangkok Airways
  3. Aegean Airlines
  4. Hong Kong Airlines
  5. SilkAir
  6. Porter Airlines
  7. jetBlue Airways
  8. Copa Airlines
  9. Alaska Airlines
  10. American Eagle
Most Improved Airlines
  1. Air France
  2. Azerbaijan Airlines
  3. Delta Air Lines
  4. Aeroflot
  5. China Airlines
  6. Japan Airlines
  7. Norwegian
  8. Royal Air Maroc
  9. China Eastern
  10. Vietnam Airlines
Best Leisure Airlines
  1. Thomson Airways
  2. Air Transat
  3. SunExpress
  4. Thomas Cook Airlines
  5. Monarch Airlines
  6. Condor
  7. Sunwing Airlines
  8. Nordwind Airlines
  9. Corsair International
  10. TUIfly Nordic
Best Airport Services
  1. ANA
  2. EVA Air
  3. Garuda Indonesia
  4. Asiana Airlines
  5. Cathay Pacific
  6. Thai Airways
  7. Singapore Airlines
  8. Korean Air
  9. Dragonair
  10. KLM
Best Airline Alliance
  1. oneworld Alliance
  2. Star Alliance
  3. SkyTeam Alliance

Best In-flight Entertainment
  1. Emirates
  2. Qatar Airways
  3. Singapore Airlines
  4. Qantas
  5. Etihad Airways
  6. Turkish Airlines
  7. Cathay Pacific
  8. Virgin Atlantic
  9. Thai Airways
  10. Air France
Best Airline Cabin Cleanliness
  1. EVA Air
  2. Singapore Airlines
  3. ANA
  4. Cathay Pacific
  5. Asiana Airlines
  6. Garuda Indonesia
  7. Japan Airlines
  8. Hainan Airlines
  9. Korean Air
  10. Hong Kong Airlines
The survey also grants awards in different categories and subcategories.

Those categories include Best Airline by Region and Best Airline Staff by Region, which rank airlines and their staffs in 14 different regions of the world.

The category Best Airlines for First Class Travel rank the carriers overall as well as their first class lounges, seats, airline catering, lounge dining and first class amenities. Etihad was ranked Best First Class Airline overall, followed by Singapore, Cathay Pacific, ANA and Lufthansa.

The top five airlines awarded Best Airlines in Business Class were Singapore, Qatar, Cathay Pacific, ANA and Etihad.

The top five airlines given accolades for Best in Premium Economy were Air New Zealand, Qantas, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines and Cathay Pacific.

Finally, honors for airlines with the Best Economy class went to Asiana, Singapore, Qatar, Garuda International and Cathay Pacific.

Full details are available on the Skytrax website.

Visit my main page at TheTravelPro.us for more news, reviews, and personal observations on the world of upmarket travel.

Comments