Top 20 airlines also named
Qatar Airways has been named the world’s best airlines for 2021.
AirlineRatings.com, the world’s only safety, product, and COVID rating website declared the Doha-based airline Qatar Airways nudged out Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines for the top spot followed by Qantas, Emirates, and Cathay Pacific.
Qatar Airways is being honored for its innovation, product, and industry leadership as well as its extraordinary commitment to keeping the world’s critical long-haul air routes open during COVID-19.
Commitment to keep the world’s air routes open during COVID-19, innovation, new products, and world-renowned inflight service have combined to give Qatar Airways the prestigious AirlineRatings.com 2021 Airline of the Year award in its Airline Excellence Awards.
The AirlineRatings.com Airline Excellence Awards, judged by editors with over 100 years of industry experience, combines key safety criteria such as incident reports and government audits, with 11 key criteria that include: fleet age, passenger reviews, investment rating, product offerings, and staff relations.
AirlineRatings.com founder and Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas said that “Airline Ratings Excellence Awards are aptly named, for, at every touchpoint, excellence is the goal at Qatar Airways led by its inspirational Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker.”
Qatar Airways also took out Best Business Class and Best Catering. “The airline’s Qsuite is a first-class experience in business class. It leaves little to chance, and our judges rated it as one of the best overall business-class products they had seen. It sets a standard to which some airlines can only aspire,” said Thomas.
“Al Baker’s drive for perfection has led to many improvements in both Airbus and Boeing aircraft and travelers across the world are better off because of the passion and the pursuit of excellence of Qatar Airways,” Thomas said.
“On behalf of all of us at Qatar Airways, thank you for this distinguished recognition as Airline of the Year for 2021, Al Baker said.
“So, it goes without saying that receiving Airline Ratings’ Airline of the Year award for 2021 is an honor that all of us at Qatar Airways will treasure as we find ourselves emerging from the global health crisis and progressing forward to new horizons and clearer skies ahead,” he said.
Qatar Airways is also awarded Best Business Class, Best Catering, and Best Middle East Airline.
Air New Zealand was again another big winner in the AirlineRatings.com Airline Excellence Awards taking out number 2 position in the Top Twenty Airlines rankings, Best Airline in the Pacific, Best Premium Economy, and Best Economy.
Singapore Airlines took out the prestigious First Class award for its impressive Suites product.
Australia’s Qantas won Best Domestic Airline Service and the coveted Best Lounges.
“The judges were unanimous on the airline’s lounges which are exceptional and its domestic airline product, particularly on transcontinental A330 flights, is a standout.”
Virgin Australia won Best Cabin Crew and Emirates was awarded Best Inflight Entertainment.
“Emirates was one of the pioneers of IFE, and one of the first to install seatback videos in economy. Today its IFE platform ICE is in a class of its own,” said Mr. Thomas.
VietJetAir took out Best Ultra Low-Cost airline for the third year running for its exceptional business model.
Qantaslink won Best Regional Airline for its outstanding work in the remote Australian outback.
Excellence in Long Haul travel was awarded to: United Airlines (Americas), Lufthansa (Europe), Qatar Airways (Middle-East/Africa), Singapore Airlines (Asia) and Air New Zealand (Pacific).
Best Low-Cost Airlines are: Southwest (Americas), easyjet (Europe) and Jetstar (Asia/Pacific).
Top Twenty Airlines 2021
AirlineRatings.com also named its Best of the Best: Qatar Airways, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, Qantas, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Virgin Atlantic, United Airlines, EVA Air, British Airways, Lufthansa, ANA, Finnair, Japan Air Lines, KLM, Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Virgin Australia, Delta Air Lines, and Etihad Airways.
