Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Emirates Earn Skytrax Honors
Joe Cortez September 23, 2022
For the third consecutive ratings year, Qatar Airways was rated the best airline in the world by Skytrax, followed by Singapore Airlines in second and Emirates in third.
Qatar and Singapore Earn Nine Top Honors, While Emirates Scores Six
Dubbing themselves the “Oscars of the aviation industry,” Skytrax operated a public survey from September 2021 to August 2022 in six languages. The company says flyers from over 100 nationalities contributed to the survey, with more than 350 airlines represented.
For the seventh time overall – and fourth time in five ratings years – Qatar Airways earned the top honors from the organization. Skytrax attributes the recognition to their high standards and attention to customer service.
“Qatar Airways was the largest airline to have flown consistently throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with their network never falling below 30 destinations, and that determination has clearly been well recognized by customers with this award as Airline of the Year 2022,” Edward Plaisted of Skytrax said in the press release. “For Qatar Airways to achieve this top accolade for a seventh time is both a unique and remarkable achievement, and we congratulate them for this success.”
Qatar Airways was also recognized as the top carrier in eight other categories, including the world’s best business class airline, the best business class airline seat, business class lounge dining, and best airline in the Middle East.
Although Singapore Airlines was second overall on the list, the luxury airline also earned nine top category awards. The flag carrier took honors for the world’s best cabin staff, world’s best first class, best first class airline seat, best first class catering, and best airline in Asia.
While Emirates was the second Middle East carrier in the world’s best top three, the airline walked away with two international honors. The carrier was named the world’s best in-flight entertainment, and the world’s best economy class.
In terms of independent lounges, Skytrax says the world’s best can be found at London Heathrow Airport (LHR). Plaza Premium took the top award for world’s best independent airport lounge, followed by Primeclass lounges at Muscat International Airport (MCT) in Oman and the Pearl Lounge at Bahrain International Airport (BAH) in third.
North American Carriers Snubbed by Skytrax Awards
While many international airlines received both regional and international awards from the survey-based program, North American carriers were largely snubbed. Only two U.S.-based airlines received awards.
Delta Air Lines walked away with six awards, including best airline in North America, best airline staff service in North America, and best business, premium economy and economy class in North America. United Airlines earned one award for best North American business class lounge, while Air Canada rouge won best low-cost carrier in Canada. WestJet earned two awards as the best regional airline in North America and best airline staff service in Canada.
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The fact that Singapore still ranks 2nd causes me to put very little faith in this 'survey'. I've flown Singapore 4 times (8 flight segments: 4 short haul, 4 long haul) in the last 18 months. And while they have nice shiny planes and cute (though aging) flight attendants with nice hair, their online service (website and app) is atrocious and their customer service is practially non-existent. Business class seats are wide but kludgy to move to lie flat, and not at all comfortable for sleeping. Premium economy is a 'premium economy' hard product with and 'economy' soft product whilst still charging very high fares. Premium economy toilets on their A350-1000s are inhumanely narrow.
I would rate all other airlines that I've flown internationally post-pandemic above Singapore (American, JAL, Lufthansa, Qatar) in terms of the total service offering. In most other airline rankings, Singapore has dropped quite significantly post-pandemic. For some reason, not this one.
How old are you? Are you cute? I never had to reply to those questions when getting my miles membership as a flyer. Not sure what the benchmark is or how it is relevant for Skytrax either.
“… North American Carriers Snubbed by Skytrax Awards …”. “Snubbed”? What a load of whining , parochial drivel. Which bit of the third paragraph don’t you understand? “… public survey … in six languages … over 100 nationalities contributed … 350 airlines represented …”.
Skytrax don’t “snub” anyone. The world’s travelling public (rightfully) snub the dross that is the North American contribution to enjoyable international air travel. Delta the best American offering, 24th in the world, up from 30th last year, bravo, a step in the right direction … but not exactly the epitome of “bragging rights”. And the other North American “biggies” … 60th and 68th. From the land that brought modern mass public air travel to the planet. Cheese!
umm, what part of the word, "snubbed" do you not understand? The OED says to "rebuff, ignore, or spurn disdainfully". The article probably was using it in the sense of the second definition, that Skytrax ignored the North American carriers. But any of the meanings are probably applicable.Perhaps in the past, someone snubbed you and you somehow believed that there is something in the definition of the word that means "unfairly"? But nope, just like the travelling public rejecting the North American product (and at least the author doesn't use the subjective term "dross"), she probably had good reasons to snub you before!
Agree re OED definitions. There is absolutely no basis for assigning Skytrax as the party who ignored (or rebuffed, or spurned disdainfully) the North American carriers. Skytrax simply collated public input and presented it for public consumption. All the major North American carriers appear to have been considered. Dross is indeed subjective, Skytrax ratings are public opinion. Public opinion is subjective. A little lost with your last nine words, they appear to have some relationship to your mid' paragraph "personal" rambling, in which case irrelevant and subjective "dross".