Qatar Airways has flown into first place, taking home the Skytrax 2017 Airline of the Year award.
Qatar Airways has been named the best airline in the world at Tuesday’s World Airline Awards at the 2017 Paris Air Show. It is the Gulf carrier’s fourth win for best airline in the past 10 years after it secured the award in 2011, 2012, and 2015.
The good news comes during Qatar Airways’ most troubling period in its existence. A number of Arab countries have cut diplomatic ties with Qatar accusing it of supporting terror and destabilising the Middle-East.
As a consequence, not only is the Doha-based carrier blocked from flying to Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and the UAE, but they are also unable to use their airspace.
This has resulted in longer flight times and higher fuel costs. For example, a flight from Doha to Lagos, Nigeria took approximately 7 hours 27 minutes before the ban. Now that the Saudi’s have restricted Qatar Airways from using its airspace, it takes approximately 9 hours 34 minutes.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: “For Qatar Airways to be named the World’s Best Airline particularly at this critical point in time, is a significant testimony of our passengers’ belief and trust in our unwavering commitment to deliver only the best. This award is also a reflection of the hard work and dedication of every employee at Qatar Airways. Our recognition at Skytrax this year is especially important as these awards are voted by travellers. To them I offer my sincere thanks, and I look forward to welcoming them on board soon.”
The complete list of awards are as follows:
The World’s Top Airlines 2017
1. Qatar Airways
2. Singapore Airlines
3. ANA All Nippon Airways
4. Emirates
5. Cathay Pacific
6. EVA Air
7. Lufthansa
8. Etihad Airways
9. Hainan Airlines
10. Garuda Indonesia
World’s Best Cabin Staff
1. Garuda Indonesia
2. ANA All Nippon Airways
3. EVA Air
4. Thai Airways
5. Singapore Airlines
6. Qatar Airways
7. Asiana Airlines
8. Japan Airlines
9. Cathay Pacific
10. Hainan Airlines
World’s Best Inflight Entertainment
1. Emirates
2. Qatar Airways
3. Singapore Airlines
4. Turkish Airlines
5. Virgin Atlantic
6. Lufthansa
7. Qantas Airways
8. Etihad Airways
9. Delta Air Lines
10. Thai Airways
World’s Best Airline Cabin Cleanliness
1. EVA Air
2. ANA All Nippon Airways
3. Japan Airlines
4. Asiana Airlines
5. Cathay Pacific
6. Hainan Airlines
7. Korean Air
8. Qatar Airways
9. Singapore Airlines
10. Lufthansa
World’s Best Low-Cost Airlines
1. AirAsia
2. Norwegian
3. jetBlue Airways
4. easyJet
5. Virgin America
6. Jetstar Airways
7. AirAsiaX
8. Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras
9. Southwest Airlines
10. Indigo
World’s Best First Class
1. Etihad Airways
2. Emirates
3. Lufthansa
4. Air France
5. Singapore Airlines
6. ANA All Nippon Airways
7. Cathay Pacific
8. Qatar Airways
9. Japan Airlines
10. Qantas Airways
World’s Best Business Class
1. Qatar Airways
2. ANA All Nippon Airways
3. Singapore Airlines
4. Etihad Airways
5. Lufthansa
6. Turkish Airlines
7. Garuda Indonesia
8. Cathay Pacific
9. Emirates
10. EVA Air
World’s Best Premium Economy Class
1. Qantas Airways
2. Air New Zealand
3. Lufthansa
4. Singapore Airlines
5. Air France
6. Japan Airlines
7. Virgin Australia
8. China Airlines
9. Aeroflot Russian Airlines
10. ANA All Nippon Airways
World’s Best Economy Class
1. Thai Airways
2. Qatar Airways
3. Asiana Airlines
4. Garuda Indonesia
5. Singapore Airlines
6. Japan Airlines
7. Emirates
8. ANA All Nippon Airways
9. EVA Air
10. Lufthansa
World’s Best Regional Airlines
1. Bangkok Airways
2. Hong Kong Airlines
3. Cathay Dragon
4. Alaska Airlines
5. Aegean Airlines
6. Avianca
7. Porter Airlines
8. SilkAir
9. Copa Airlines
10. Juneyao Airlines
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