After the global pandemic, all ardent travelers were looking for airlines operating with the best anti-COVID measures; this article is exactly what you need to go through.
The airline safety website AirlineRatings.com published its list of “Top Airlines in the World,” which traditionally ranks the companies by safety, in-flight service, passenger comfort, and flight routes. However, this year airlines are being evaluated by how they responded to the Covid-19.
“Covid impacted the ratings in two ways,” said AirlineRatings.com Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas. “Airlines had to be Covid-compliant to our standards to be considered, and we deleted profitability as a criterion this year.”
During the evaluation, Doha-based Qatar Airways was named “Airline of the Year” and won the top position. It left every other airline behind due to its cabin innovation, in-flight service and “dedication and commitment to continue to operate throughout the Covid pandemic,” according to the site’s announcement on July 20.
Qatar Airways was founded in the mid-1990s and flies to more than 140 destinations. It is one of the world’s youngest fleets, the announcement said. It is the first to complete the International Air Transport Association’s safety audit and Covid Safe Travel Pass.
The website has also announced its 20 top airlines globally for 2021, with Qatar Airways, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, Qantas and Emirate making the Top 5. The others were Cathay Pacific, Virgin Atlantic, United Airlines, EVA Air, British Airways, Lufthansa, ANA, Finnair, Japan Airlines, KLM, Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Virgin Australia, Delta Air Lines, and Etihad Airways.
Emirates, which climbed to the fifth spot, recently introduced a premium economy class, which is considered one of the best in the industry, noted AirlineRatings. Qatar Airways was ranked number 1 because of its cabin innovation, passenger service, and dedication to continue operating throughout the pandemic.
Almost all carriers upheld the same spot as they did in the 2020 list. However, Qatar Airways bounced eight to the top spot.
“Air New Zealand has been our ‘Airline of the Year in six of the last eight years because of its outstanding innovation and cabin service,” Thomas said.
The rating is based on crash history, pilot-related episodes, government audits, and Covid safety measures, including social distancing, aircraft cleaning, and masked cabin crew. According to the website, almost 150 of the 350 airlines have seven stars, and eight have just one star.
Some airlines are also awarded “Airline Excellence Awards” for superior service and products. This year’s awards went to Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Air New Zealand, Air New Zealand, Jetstar, EasyJet, Southwest, Vietjet Air, Qantas, Virgin Australia Qantas, Qatar and Emirates.
In addition, the website also issues an annual “Top Twenty Safest Airlines” list that examines crash records and safety compliance. The list is expected in January 2022.