It what is widely regarded as ‘the Oscars of the aviation industry,’ Singapore Airlines has been voted the World’s Best Airline at the 2023 World Airline Awards, the fifth time that the airline has scooped the Airline of the Year title in the 23-year history of the prestigious annual Skytrax rankings.
Also called the Passenger Choice Awards, the survey began in 1999, and remains totally independent and impartial with all of the customer costs and awards event paid by the organizers, Skytrax.
Announced in a gala ceremony on Tuesday at the Paris Air Show, more than 350 guests from airlines across the world attended the event at the Air & Space Museum in Bourget, France, with a large number of airline CEO’s, presidents, and senior management present to accept their awards. As has become customary at the World Airline Awards, there were a lot of uniformed airline cabin crew showing off the airline corporate brands.
“This award is a testament to the indomitable spirit of our people, who worked tirelessly and made many sacrifices to ensure that SIA was ready for the recovery in air travel,” declared Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong, adding, “That has allowed us to emerge stronger and fitter from the pandemic as a leading international airline.”
Singapore Airlines was second last year.
The seven times winner of the prestigious Airline of the Year award (including last year), Qatar Airways, was ranked No 2 in the world for 2023, out of more than 325 airlines included in the survey results.
The World’s Top 20 Airlines in 2023
1. Singapore Airlines
2. Qatar Airways
3. ANA All Nippon Airways
4. Emirates
5. Japan Airlines
6. Turkish Airlines
7. Air France
8. Cathay Pacific
9. EVA Air
10. Korean Air
11. Hainan Airlines
12. Swiss Int’l Air Lines
13. Etihad Airways
14. Iberia
15. Fiji Airways
16. Vistara
17. Qantas Airways
18. British Airways
19. Air New Zealand
20. Delta Air Lines
Overall, Singapore Airlines scooped nine award wins, with Qatar Airways also receiving nine awards. In North America, Delta Air Lines was the success in North America, winning six awards. In Europe, Turkish Airlines was dominant, receiving four awards including the highly competitive Best Airline in Europe title.
Canadian results
Air Canada scooped a new award in 2023 for the World’s Most Family Friendly Airline. Criteria included family seating policies, dedicated family check-in facilities, priority boarding, children’s meals, children’s amenities, child specific onboard entertainment, free checked luggage and policies for carrycot/ pushchairs, and the standard of service assistance from ground staff and cabin crew during the travel experience.
Overall, Air Canada ranked 38th, while Air Transat placed 62nd, WestJet 64th, Air Canada rouge 93rd and Porter 99th.
Air Canada also got the nod for Best Airline Staff in Canada.
Air Transat, meanwhile, was named the World’s Best Leisure Airline (and correspondingly best in North America) for the fifth time.
WestJet was ranked as Best Regional Airline in Canada and 10th best globally, while Porter placed 17th overall.
Other awards
Qatar Airways continued its domination in business class, winning the awards for World’s Best Business Class, the World’s Best Business Class Seat, the World’s Best Business Class Lounge (the Al Mourjan lounge at Hamad International Airport), the World’s Best Business Class Lounge Dining and the Best Airline in the Middle East.
Singapore Airlines dominated the First Class travel awards, winning the awards for the World’s Best First Class, the World’s Best First Class Seat, the World’s Best First Class Comfort Amenities and took top position as the Best Airline in Asia.
ANA All Nippon Airways claimed third place in the global ranking, and repeats its earlier successes by winning awards for the World’s Best Airport Services and the World’s Cleanest Airline.
Kuwait Airways wins the 2023 award as the World’s Most Improved Airline, ahead of StarLux in 2nd place and PLAY in 3rd position. This is award reflects an airline’s Quality improvement across the entire Awards programme, evaluating an airline’s change in the global rating, and their performance in different award categories.
AirAsia was the repeat winner of the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline award, a title it has won each year since 2010. Scoot won the award as the World’s Best Long Haul Low-Cost Airline.
Volotea was named the Best Low-Cost Airline in Europe, this being one of the most competitive low-cost airline markets in the world.
Garuda Indonesia was recognised with a top prize after being voted as having the World’s Best Cabin Staff – the sixth time it has achieved success in this category.
Plaza Premium maintains its winning status by collecting the award as the World’s Best Independent Airport Lounge operator. The Plaza Premium lounge at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport which ranked No 1 in 2023, and Plaza Premium also had two other lounges featured in the Top 10 ranking.
Cathay Pacific had a notable achievement for 2023 as they were judged as providing the World’s Best Inflight Entertainment for the very first time.
EVA Air won the award for the World’s Best Premium Economy Class (the travel cabin that EVA invented more than 30 years ago). EVA Air also won the award for the Best Premium Economy Class Catering.
Japan Airlines ranks No 1 in Economy Class, winning the award for the World’s Best Economy Class as well as the award for the World’s Best Economy Class Seat.
The Best Regional Airline Awards are for full service carriers that primarily operate domestic and / or International flights up to approx. 6 hours. Topping the global ratings as the World’s Best Regional Airline is the repeat winner Bangkok Airways, a true customer favourite.
Rising up the rankings in 2023 is Australia’s Rex Airlines winning the Best Regional Airline in Australia / Pacific award.
Fiji Airways secured the Best Airline in Australia / Pacific for the first time, and in a double success also won the award as the Best Airline Staff Service in Australia / Pacific for the third time.
In the India / South Asia region, Vistara reigns supreme and was again named winner of the Best Airline in India / South Asia award, in addition to Best Airline Staff Service for the region.
IndiGo maintains its winning No 1 position as the Best Low-Cost Airline in India / South Asia.
In North America, Delta Air Lines was the Best Airline in North America, in addition to Best Airline Staff Service for the region. Sun Country Airlines wins the Best Low-Cost Airline in North America title for the first time.
Alaska Airlines was the Best Regional Airline in North America in this very competitive market. Air Transat were another big winner from North America after being named as the World’s Best Leisure Airline – an award the Canadian airline has won on four previous occasions.
A relative newcomer to the market is Kazakhstan’s FlyArystan that picked up the award as the Best Low-Cost Airline in Central Asia / CIS region.
For the sixth time, Ethiopian Airlines has won the Best Airline in Africa award.
In China, Hainan Airlines was named the Best Airline in China for the 12th time, as well as receiving the Best Airline Staff in China award.