Emirates earned the title of World’s Best Airline this week during the 2013 Skytrax World Airline Awards at the Paris Air Show.
The Dubai-based airline was voted top airline by more than 18 million travelers from 160 countries worldwide, whose judging criteria included friendliness of staff, in-flight amenities and meal quality. Skytrax has been conducting the passenger survey since 1999.
Emirates also won top honors for Best Inflight Entertainment and Best Middle East Airline.
Tim Clark, president of Emirates, said in a release, “These awards are widely regarded as the industry’s benchmark for Excellence. For us, the awards clearly reflect a vote of confidence from global travellers, who acknowledge and appreciate our continuous drive to deliver high-quality service. To be voted ‘World’s Best Airline’ by millions of discerning travellers really is something for our 60,000 strong workforce to be proud of.”
Qatar Airways, which held the World’s Best Airline title in 2011 and 2012, came in second place this year. The top 10 list was rounded out by Asian carriers like Singapore Airlines, ANA All Nippon Airways and Asiana Airlines, as well as Turkish Airlines and Qantas Airways.
So, how did U.S.-based airlines stack up against the global competition?
Not well, it seems.
The top ranking U.S. carrier was Virgin America, coming in at number 27. The only other U.S. carriers to crack the top 50 were Delta Air Lines and jetBlue Airways, coming in at number 45 and 46, respectively.
Below are a few highlights of this year’s results. The full results can be viewed on the Skytrax World Airline Awards website.
Skytrax World Airline Awards: Best Airline of the Year
- Emirates
- Qatar Airways
- Singapore Airlines
- ANA All Nippon Airways
- Asiana Airlines
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- Etihad Airways
- Garuda Indonesia
- Turkish Airlines
- Qantas Airways
Best Low-Cost Airlines
AirAsia
Best Low-Cost Airline – North America
Virgin America
Best Airline Staff Service in North America
Virgin America
Best Regional Airline – North America
jetBlue Airways
Best North American Airline
Air Canada
Best Economy Class Seats
Garuda Indonesia
Best Economy Class Catering
Asiana Airlines
(Main image: Gordon Werner)
