In 2018, Singapore Airlines was named the World’s Best Airline, with Qatar Airways and ANA coming in second and third, respectively. This recognition was celebrated in a grand ceremony at the Langham Hotel in London. Here, airline executives from across the globe gathered to acknowledge their accolades at the World Airline Awards, often dubbed the “Oscars of the aviation industry” due to their prestigious and fair recognition process, which avoids external sponsorship and influence.
Singapore Airlines’ CEO, Mr. Goh Choon Phong, voiced his gratitude for this award, attributing the honor to the relentless effort of the 26,000 employees who strive to provide unparalleled travel experiences. He highlighted that the award reflects direct feedback from customers, underscoring the intense competition in the aviation sector. This esteemed recognition will inspire the airline to further enhance their product quality, service excellence, and network connectivity to maintain their competitive edge and continue to exceed customer expectations.
Qatar Airways also performed exceptionally well, earning accolades for the World’s Best Business Class, the Best Business Class Seat, the World’s Best First Class Lounge, and the Best Airline in the Middle East. ANA was recognized for having the Best Aircraft Cabin Cleanliness and the Best Airline Staff in Asia, which combines both airport and cabin staff.
Among the top 10 airlines of 2018, China Southern Airlines stood out as the World’s Most Improved Airline, Garuda Indonesia was celebrated for having the World’s Best Cabin Crew, Norwegian was named the Best Long Haul Low-Cost Airline, and AirAsia continued its dominance as the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline.
Celebrating their 18th anniversary, the World Airline Awards, established in 1999, provide an independent and impartial assessment of customer satisfaction on a global scale. The awards are based on the largest airline passenger satisfaction survey, which received votes from travelers worldwide. All costs associated with the survey and awards event are covered by Skytrax, with no financial contributions required from participating airlines. This ensures that the awards remain unbiased and accessible to all deserving airlines free of charge for using award logos and results.
The 2018 survey saw participation from over 100 nationalities, with 20.36 million valid entries counted. Rigorous measures were taken to eliminate duplicate, suspect, or ineligible entries. The survey covered 335 airlines and was available online from August 2017 to May 2018. Invitations were also sent to previous participants, amounting to a total outreach of 24.45 million customers. The survey was conducted in multiple languages including English, French, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, and Chinese, with a notable increase in participation from Chinese customers, who submitted an additional 3.5 million entries.