Singapore Airlines named 2018 world’s best by Skytrax

SINGAPORE’S flag carrier is back on top.

It also claimed best first class, best airline in Asia, and best first class seat.

“Singapore Airlines is honored to be named World’s Best Airline in the Skytrax awards, and I dedicate it to the 26,000 SIA Group employees who focus every day on delivering the world’s best travel experience to our customers,” Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong said in a statement.

“The recognition will further motivate us to improve upon the three main pillars of our brand promise – product leadership, service excellence and network connectivity – to ensure we retain our competitive advantage and continue to meet and exceed customer expectations.”

Singapore Airlines last held the honor in 2008. Prior to that, the airline also won in 2004 and 2007, making this year’s win its fourth.

It knocked last year’s victor Qatar Airways into second place.

Doha-based Qatar Airways came out on top in 2017, 2015, 2012, and 2011.

Its network spans business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America.

Last year, Qatar Airways unveiled its QSuite, a revolutionary take on its business class that allows the passenger to lower a partition to create a double bed.

Passengers can also configure the seats to create a larger private space to eat, to work, or to socialize – perfect for groups of friends or colleagues, or families.

Luxurious business class seats onboard Qatar Airways’ Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. Source: Shutterstock.

In third place is Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA), home to one of the world’s largest fleets of Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

ANA flies to around 80 international routes and over 110 domestic routes.

Earlier this year, two ANA ground staff were filmed offloading bags from an aircraft and were highly praised for the gentle manner in which they did so.

The airline was honored with the award for the best aircraft cabin cleanliness, best airline staff in Asia (well deserved), and best cabin crew in Japan as well.

In fact, Asian airlines dominate the Skytrax World Airline awards this year, taking a whopping total of nine out of top 10 spots.

An ANA aircraft decorated with images of different Pokemon on a New Chitose Airport runway in Hokkaido, Japan. Source: Shutterstock.

In fourth place is the Dubai-based Emirates, home to a fleet of more than 265 aircraft. Emirates currently flies to over 155 destinations in more than 80 countries around the world.

Coming close is Taiwanese airline EVA Air, which connects Asia and Mainland China to Europe, North America and Oceania and links more than 60 major business and tourist destinations.

Here are the world’s top 10 airlines of 2018.

Other notable Asian airline accolades include China Southern Airlines for winning the world’s most improved airline and AirAsia’s continued dominance being named the world’s best low-cost airline.

Skytrax’s rankings are based on the impressions of 20.36 million travelers from more than 100 different countries.

The unpaid survey covered more than 335 airlines and measured 49 parameters ranging from boarding procedures to seat comfort to the quality of service.

The survey was conducted from August 2017 to May 2018.

The post Singapore Airlines named 2018 world’s best by Skytrax appeared first on Travel Wire Asia.

Source: travelwireasia.com