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One airline has literally gone to great lengths to prove it’s the best in the past 12 months, and it appears to have paid off.
Singapore Airlines, which in October triumphantly relaunched the world’s longest nonstop scheduled passenger service, flying from Singapore to New York, has now capped a successful year with a new accolade.
The carrier has pipped Air New Zealand to be named Airline of the Year by Australia-based aviation safety and product rating agency AirlineRatings, in the company’s annual Airline Excellence Awards.
It’s a big upset for Air New Zealand, which has spent five consecutive years in the top spot.
TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
10. Japan Airlines: AirlineRatings.com, the Australia-based safety and product rating agency, has announced its top airlines for 2019. Rounding out the top 10 is Japan Airlines. Click through the gallery to discover which airline soared highest.
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9. Cathay Pacific: Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific reached number nine on the list, the same position as last year. "The airline is a byword for operational excellence," says AirlineRatings.
EVA Air courtesy of AirlineRatings.com
8. EVA Air: Taiwanese airline EVA Air is at number eight. AirlineRatings spotlights the carrier's new aircraft, new routes and recent cabin innovations.
TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
7. All Nippon Airways: Another Japanese carrier -- All Nippon Airways -- clocks in at number seven. "Its attention to detail is quite extraordinary," says AirlineRatings.
Emirates courtesy of AirlineRatings.com
6. Emirates: Dubai-based carrier Emirates comes in at number six. AirlineRatings calls Emirates an industry benchmark in cabin innovation, highlighting its inflight entertainment -- which it also won an award for.
Courtesy Virgin Australia From AirlineRatings
5. Virgin Australia: Virgin Australia takes fifth place -- it also won Best Cabin Crew. AirlineRatings spotlights Virgin Australia's "economy X," premium economy, and standout business class.
Qatar Airways courtesy of AirlineRatings.com
4. Qatar Airways: Apparently it was the great food and wine that secured Qatar Airways a spot in the top 10. The airline also won Best Business Class and Best Catering.
Courtesy Qantas From AirlineRatings
3. Qantas: Qantas reached number three on the countdown. The airline also won Best Domestic Airline Service and coveted Best Lounges.
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2. Air New Zealand: Air New Zealand was number one on AirlineRatings.com's list for the past five years. It's slipped down -- ever so slightly -- to number two.
Singapore Airlines courtesy of AirlineRatings.com
1. Singapore Airlines: For the first time in a long time, another carrier has pipped Air New Zealand to the post. "Quite simple the airline is the gold standard," says AirlineRatings.
Courtesy WestJet from AirlineRatings
Best for budget: In the Americas, AirlineRatings says WestJet offers the Best Budget Service.
Courtesy Korean Air From AirlingRatings
Hot seats: AirlineRatings says Korean Air has the Best Economy Cabins. The Korean airline nabbed this honor last year too -- it's been praised for its spacious seats.
Courtesy Air New Zealand From AirlineRatings
Long haul leaders: Air New Zealand also took home the award for the Excellence in Long Haul travel (Pacific) division.
Courtesy Singapore Airlines From AirlineRatings
Best First Class: Not only did Singapore Airlines win best overall airline, the carrier was the winner of Best First Class.
Emirates courtesy of AirlineRatings.com
Best Airline Middle East/Africa: Emirates also got the award for Best Airline in the Middle East/Africa.
Emirates courtesy of AirlineRatings.com
Inflight entertainment: Emirates won Best Inflight Entertainment this year and remains a leader in that field, according to AirlineRatings. "Today its IFE platform ICE is in a class of its own," says AirlineRatings.
Lufthansa courtesy of AirlineRatings.com
Excellence in Long Haul travel -- Europe: German airline Lufthansa won the gong for Excellence in Long Haul Travel in Europe.
Qantas courtesy of AirlineRatings.com
Best Domestic Airline Service and Best Lounge: AirlineRatings highlights Qantas' all-time high customer approval rating and innovative Perth to London nonstop service.
Qatar Airways courtesy of AirlineRatings.com
Catering dream: Qatar Airways picked up Best Catering and Best Business Class. "The airline's Qsuite is a first-class experience in business class," says Airline Ratings. "It leaves little to chance and our judges rated it as one of the best overall business-class products they had seen."
Virgin Australia courtesy of AirlineRatings.com
Virgin Australia: Virgin Australia was another big winner, the Aussie carrier won Best Cabin Crew.
The travel awards celebrate the carriers soaring highest – from the swankiest first-class suites to the comfiest economy seats, via the roomiest lounges and tastiest culinary offerings.
“For years Singapore Airlines has been the gold standard and now it is back to its best leading in passenger innovations and new state-of-the-art aircraft models,” says AirlineRatings editor-in-chief Geoffrey Thomas.
AirlineRatings’ award editors highlighted Singapore Airlines’ new nonstop Singapore to New York service.
“The editors said that the competition for top spot was tight with Air New Zealand, Qantas Airways and Qatar Airways just being nudged out,” he adds.
Qatar Airways courtesy of AirlineRatings.com
Qatar Airways was praised for its culinary offerings.
The awards are compiled using major international industry and government safety audits, plus 12 key criteria including fleet age, passenger reviews, profitability, investment ratings, staff relations and product offerings.
“In our objective analysis Singapore Airlines came out number one in many of our audit criteria, which is a great performance,” explains Thomas.
Singapore Airlines, which earlier in 2018 picked up the coveted Skytrax Airline of the Year Award, also won AirlineRatings’ Best First Class prize.
Emirates courtesy of AirlineRatings.com
Emirates' inflight entertainment was also awarded.
Meanwhile Qatar Airways, which placed number four on the overall ranking, saw its great food and luxury offerings secure Best Catering and Best Business Class.
“The airline’s Qsuite is a first-class experience in business class,” says AirlineRatings. “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.”
Aussie airline Qantas picked up the Best Lounges gong for the second year.
While Air New Zealand may no longer be reigning champion, the airline was recognized for Excellence in Long Haul Travel (Pacific).
Virgin Australia courtesy of AirlineRatings.com
Virgin Australia won Best Cabin Crew.
AirlineRatings also praised Emirates, number six on the overall round-up, for its continued pioneering of top inflight entertainment options.
“Emirates was one of the pioneers of IFE, and one of the first to install seatback videos in economy,” says AirlineRatings. “Today its IFE platform ICE is in a class of its own.”
Economy options were also awarded. For the second year running, KoreanAir was recognized for its spacious seats. Westjet was crowned the Best Low-Cost Airline in the Americas, Wizz won for Europe and AirAsia / AirAsia X for Asia/Pacfic.
1. Singapore Airlines
2. Air New Zealand
3. Qantas
4. Qatar Airways
5. Virgin Australia
6. Emirates
7. All Nippon Airways
8. EVA Air
9. Cathay Pacific Airways
10. Japan Airlines