Skytrax's top airlines for 2022

[reader]

From CNN

Skytrax, a UK-based airline and airport review and ranking site, conducted more than 14 million customer surveys in more than 100 countries between September 2021 to August 2022 to find out the world's current favorite airline.

The world's top 20 airlines in 2022, according to Skytrax

1. Qatar Airways

2. Singapore Airlines

3. Emirates

4. ANA (All Nippon Airways)

5. Qantas Airways

6. Japan Airlines

7. Turkish Airlines

8. Air France

9. Korean Air

10. Swiss International Air Lines

11. British Airways

12. Etihad Airways

13. China Southern Airlines

14. Hainan Airlines

15. Lufthansa

16. Cathay Pacific

17. KLM

18. EVA Air

19. Virgin Atlantic

20. Vistara

 

World's Best Cabin Staff

Singapore Airlines

World's Best Airline Cabin Cleanliness

ANA All Nippon Airways

World's Best Independent Airport Lounge

Plaza Premium

World's Best Business Class Lounge

Virgin Atlantic

World's Best Leisure Airline

SunExpress

World's Best Low-Cost Airline/Best Low-Cost Airline in Asia

AirAsia

Best Low-Cost Airline in Europe

Ryanair

Best Low-Cost Airline in North America

Southwest Airlines

Best Low-Cost Airline in Africa

FlySafair

World's Best Long Haul Low-Cost Airline

Scoot

 

World's Best in Class Airlines

The World Best First Class Airline: Singapore Airlines

The World's Best Business Class Airline: Qatar Airways

The World's Best Premium Economy Class Airline: Virgin Atlantic

The World's Best Economy Class Airline: Emirates

 

==================================

 

From Aviation Week

 

Air France safety culture said to need improvement

 

Air France is expanding flight data sharing with its pilots and plans a comprehensive audit of its flight operations--changes prompted at least in part by criticism from French safety investigators who say the airline's safety culture needs improvement.

 

The moves were revealed in a recently released report by French air accident bureau (the BEA) on a December 2020 Air France A330 diversion. The crew was found to have deviated from published procedures without sufficient justification and did not sufficiently weigh the risk of fire in the air or on the ground.

 

 

[PeterRS]

Cathay Pacific was always at or near the top half dozen. Clearly its massive reduction in flights due to covid have resulted in its drop to #16. For two or three years Hainan Airlines was near the top as its service was pretty spectacular based on reports both by posters here and on the Skytrax website. But it overstretched itself and had debt that a year ago was $170 billion! The annual report listed "major uncertainties" about its ability to continue flying. The restructuring has clearly affected route structure and service.

As a regular on Qatar for long haul, I agree its biz class is very hard to beat. I am really surprised about the inclusion of Swiss, though. On the Skytrax comments site, the last ten comments starting 23 September have been frightful. Out of a maximum of 10, flyers have given the airline 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1.  This is partcularly bad given that one comment for Premium Economy has a 1 and one for biz class has only a 2. This is worse even than Scoot where the last 10 economy comments were 1, 2, 1, 1, 4, 1, 1, 3, 1, 2.

The annual survey apart, I do think the overall Skytrax comments pages are misleading because they lump all classes together. About 4 years ago I wrote to Skytrax suggesting it is fairer to likely passengers to split the comments into separate sections. By including biz and first class, the overall general star rating is inevitably skewed upwards. I got no reply.

[vinapu]

My best airline is one which takes me  to my destination cheapest and in connection is necessary , with no more than 3 hrs.

I have no problem flying Gambia Air or Mauritania Airlines but wouldn't take  Aeroflot now for obvious reasons- Moses flies it I presume

[TMax]

Qantas at #5 is being very generous, I would place them well outside the top 10 now.  Of late their maintenance, cleaning and on time departures has deteriorated greatly and their lost luggage percentage has skyrocketed. Domestically their meals are about 1% above garbage, it never was the best but now even worse. What can be the cause of such a deterioration? To put it simply, senior management is the cause, they are driven by cost cutting to the extreme and yet they give themselves (top executives and the board) ridiculous pay rises and bonuses whilst sacking their workers and outsourcing to the cheapest possible alternatives. With so many airlines above them and those improving their services I see a rather bleak future for Qantas. I really feel for their employees as they have to put up with all the cost cutting and rubbish handed down (more like thrown at them) by management. Sorry, rant over. 

[PeterRS]

11 minutes ago, vinapu said:

My best airline is one which takes me  to my destination cheapest and in connection is necessary , with no more than 3 hrs.

I have no problem flying Gambia Air or Mauritania Airlines 

I heard a story about a virtuoso classical pianist named Cherkassky who died in 1995 before the internet was used for airline bookings. For much of his life he lived in London. His hobby was learning much of the massive two-volume ABC Airlines Timetable published every month. He then enjoyed going into a travel agency and telling the lady behind the counter that he'd like to book a flight from London to Sydney. "That will be no problem," would be the regular reply. "Oh, but I think there may be a problem because I want a number of stops and I want the cheapest ticket."

He'd then reel off a list of cities and dates he wanted en route. Typical would be Basle, Lodz in Poland, Ankara, Ahmadabad, Chiang Mai (being gay he frequently visited Thailand), Urumqi, Kagoshima and Surabaya. A stupefied lady would then tell him she'd do her best but it might take her 2 days to do all the checking. No problem, he'd say, but it must be the quickest individual flights and the cheapest ticket.

2 days later he'd return and see the same lady. "Well, sir, you really gave me a difficult task but I've finally got information on the ticket you requested." She'd then give him a print out of all the flights, flight changes en route, stop-overs and arrival time in Sydney. At the bottom would be the price. "And you can confirm this has the fastest connections, the earliest arrival in Sydney and the cheapest price?" Yes sir, would be the reply.

In his high-pitched voice a smile would come over his face. Looking straight at her, he say, "You're WRONG!" He had worked out a better routing at a slightly cheaper price! And of course he didn't even want to book any ticket. Not a pleasant man!

[PeterRS]

10 minutes ago, TMax said:

Qantas at #5 is being very generous, I would place them well outside the top 10 now.

We all rant about airlines. It's rather like a national sport! 😀 But please remember that the Skytrax list was compiled from passenger surveys from September 2021 till August 2022. 

I also think there is virtually an inbuilt feeling amongst many surveyed that they should vote for their national airline.

[reader]

9 hours ago, PeterRS said:

I also think there is virtually an inbuilt feeling amongst many surveyed that they should vote for their national airline.

Of course there's always the time-honored method of getting what you want.

Qatar Paid $880 Million In Bribes To FIFA To Secure The 2022 World Cup

According to a bombshell report in yesterday’s Sunday Times, the tiny but disproportionately wealthy and influential peninsula state of Qatar bribed FIFA officials to the tune of $880 million in order to secure its bid to play host to the 2022 World Cup.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/report-qatar-paid-880-million-bribes-fifa-secure-josh-hammer

[vinapu]

14 hours ago, PeterRS said:

 Typical would be Basle, Lodz in Poland, Ankara, Ahmadabad, Chiang Mai (being gay he frequently visited Thailand), Urumqi, Kagoshima and Surabaya. 

Lodz doesn,t have an airport, Warsaw is nearest.

Not sure about Kagoshims

 

[vinapu]

14 hours ago, PeterRS said:

rt! 😀 

I also think there is virtually an inbuilt feeling amongst many surveyed that they should vote for their national airline.

I think you  right although number of British  venting against BA is surprisingly high.

And I would t vote for my national as they rarely have the best price to destinations of my interest.

[vinapu]

5 hours ago, reader said:

Of course there's always the time-honored method of getting what you want.

Qatar Paid $880 Million In Bribes To FIFA To Secure The 2022 World Cup

According to a bombshell report in yesterday’s Sunday Times, the tiny but disproportionately wealthy and influential peninsula state of Qatar bribed FIFA officials to the tune of $880 million in order to secure its bid to play host to the 2022 World Cup.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/report-qatar-paid-880-million-bribes-fifa-secure-josh-hammer

I,m shocked that FIFA officials were so modest in their requests.

It one reasons I don,t plan to get excited about this year ,s tournament.

When IOC granted 1996 games to Atlanta instead of Athens for centenary of Olympics they did outstanding  job of converting me from guy who took vacations to watch Olympics to one who doesn t give a fuck about them and this was instant !

 

[xpaulo]

Gee, no North American airlines in the top 20, that's a big surprise, NOT.

[PeterRS]

5 hours ago, xpaulo said:

Gee, no North American airlines in the top 20, that's a big surprise, NOT.

Delta has been mentioned a few times as the best US airline. In the 2022 poll it comes in at 24. But in several previous years it has been pipped by Jet Blue and Virgin America. 

[Mavica]

Quote

The Top 20 list was collected from customer surveys, which are "independent and impartial," UK-based Skytrax said in a release. Travelers were asked about areas like customer service, comfort, and cleanliness, with over 350 airlines being named in the survey results. 

Maybe I've overlooked it, but there is no link to survey results, methodology, details, etc.  Lacking more information, it's an article/survey self-promotion and irrelevant.  If I'm mistaken, someone please point it out.  Providing a link to articles that are posted here instead of just copying/pasting texts will be appreciated.  Thank you.

[xpaulo]

11 hours ago, vinapu said:

virtually an inbuilt feeling

I'd rather have rats gnaw on my face than vote for Air Canada as a top airline. But maybe it's just so bad it's a special case. They've been blaming the federal government for all the delays at Canadian airports, and it shares the blame, but I think the bigger problem are the alrlines fault for not rehiring enough ground staff and air crew and overselling.