QANTAS: Drops out of top 5 best airlines
In the World Airline Awards, Qantas has dropped from 5th place to 17th.
The Skytrax Awards based on online surveys, announced at the Paris Air Show yesterday (Tuesday), put Singapore Airlines up at the top as the best airline for 2023, displacing Qatar Airways, which had first place for the last three years.
Looks like Singapore Airlines’ new first-class did the trick in reclaiming the crown. The airline has also won financially with a record profit of AU$2.42 billion post-pandemic restrictions and with the reopening of China.
Air France was the only European airline to place in the top 10, while middle eastern and Asian airlines dominated most of the other positions.
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Airline Awards Ranking
Here are the top 20:
- Singapore Airlines
- Qatar Airways
- ANA All Nippon Airways
- Emirates
- Japan Airlines
- Turkish Airlines
- Air France
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- EVA Air
- Korean Air
- Hainan Airlines
- Swiss International Air Lines
- Etihad Airways
- Iberia
- Fiji Airways
- Vistara
- Qantas Airways
- British Airways
- Air New Zealand
- Delta Air Lines
Airline Shame
Qantas should be ashamed to be ranked next to British Airways.
In their defence, Qantas has pointed out that the survey started 9 months ago when its service was still affected by ‘supply’ issues according to a spokesperson in the SMH/Traveller article. I suppose the proof will be in the pudding, when we see the results of the 2023 survey.
On other metrics, like those from the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics, Qantas has been improving its on-time performance substantially to 73.7% claiming the best on-time performance crown in April of 2023
Other Australian Airlines
Qantas can also claim to be the highest-ranking Australian Airline in the awards, given that Virgin Australia sits at 46th place and Rex at 56. (up 16 places) and Jetstar ranks lowest at 69th, 12 spots lower than last year. Bonza entered the race too late to be counted.
2PAXfly Takeout
Skytrax surveys are much maligned, not seen as objective, and subject to other external influences, so must be viewed with scepticism, despite covering 100 countries and 350 airlines. But I’m sure those dissatisfied with Qantas, even seeing its lack of service as a national betrayal (Qantas has not been a ‘national’ as in government-owned airline since 1995!) will see this drop in status as a validation of their concerns.
As I have documented many times, Qantas has been underperforming (except for its share price) since the pandemic and needs to take some remedial steps.
Every airline surveilled is quick to dissociate with the awards when they fall in rank and quick to trumpet them when they do well.
Let’s be honest for a moment here: Skytrax rankings are for sale or else there are astounding coincidences in rankings and ratings. Does anyone truly believe that Iberia belongs in the top 20 worldwide airlines? Or that BA is better than Garuda? Or Fiji better than Lufthansa? Take these with a wheelbarrow of salt.