AirlineRatings.com announced the world’s best airlines for 2018 on Thursday. Geoffrey Thomas, editor in chief of the website, wrote that Air New Zealand is being celebrated ‘for the fifth consecutive year for its continued record-breaking financial performance, in-flight innovations, environmental leadership, young fleet and motivation of its staff’.
13 criteria were used by AirlineRatings.com to decide the winner, including safety rating, environmental report, serious incidents, and passenger reviews.The editorial team which judges the award each year were particularly impressed with the standard of Air New Zealand’s premium economy. They awarded the airline Best Premium Economy, stating that it is ‘continually innovating in all cabins and this has resulted in higher yields as passengers upgrade their travel experience’.
While Air New Zealand has now claimed the top spot for five years in a row, both Qantas Airways and Singapore Airlines are catching up. Placed second and third respectively, the airlines are both revamping their in-flight products and introducing new aircraft to their fleets. Qantas Airways scooped up three category prizes including Best Catering and Best Lounges. Singapore Airlines won for Best Cabin Crew and Best First Class. The full results are listed below:
Top ten airlines for 2018
- Air New Zealand
- Qantas Airways
- Singapore Airlines
- Virgin Australia
- Virgin Atlantic
- Etihad Airways
- Nippon Airways
- Korean Air
- Cathay Pacific
- Japan Airlines
Category winners
Airline of the Year: Air New Zealand
Best First Class: Singapore Airlines
Best business class: Virgin Australia
Best premium economy: Air New Zealand
Best economy: Korean Air
Best cabin crew: Singapore Airlines
Best catering: Qantas Airways
Best lounges: Qantas Airways
Best in-flight entertainment: Emirates
Best domestic class: Qantas Airways
Regional airline of the year: Aegean Airlines
Most improved airline: Tianjin Airlines
Best ultra-low-cost airline: VietJetAir.com
Best long-haul airlines: Etihad, Korean Air, Virgin Atlantic, and Air Canada
Best low-cost airlines: Westjet, Scoot, and Norwegian
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