The airline industry saw a huge downturn throughout 2020 and 2021, mainly due to a sharp drop in passenger demand alongside widespread lockdowns and strict travel restrictions. The Skytrax customer survey, which ran for 23 months from September 2019 to July 2021, took both normal travel times and pandemic travel into account when determining the 2021 Awards. Although there were some changes in rankings compared to 2019, a core group of airlines still held the top positions.
Leading the pack was Qatar Airways, which was named Airline of the Year 2021. Singapore Airlines took the 2nd spot, and ANA All Nippon Airways came in 3rd among more than 350 airlines surveyed.
Qatar Airways not only clinched the top spot but also received awards for the World’s Best Business Class, the World’s Best Business Class Seat, and the Best Airline in the Middle East.
Singapore Airlines, ranked 2nd worldwide, was recognized for having the World’s Best Cabin Crew. It also won awards for the World’s Best First Class, the Best Airline in Asia, and the World’s Best First Class Seat.
ANA All Nippon Airways maintained its 3rd place global ranking and was honored with the World’s Best Airport Services award. It also earned the title of the World’s Cleanest Airline, a significant achievement during the pandemic.
Saudi Arabian Airlines was named the World’s Most Improved Airline in 2021, followed by Rwandair in 2nd place and JetSmart in 3rd place. This particular award highlights an airline’s overall quality improvement and performance across various award categories.
Since 1999, when Skytrax started its first global annual airline customer satisfaction survey, the World Airline Awards have been known as the Oscars of the aviation industry. The survey is open to all airlines worldwide, with no entry fees or charges for attending the awards event or using the award logos and results. Customer surveys are available in multiple languages, including English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, and Japanese.