ASIAN AIRLINES: SUPERB SEVEN MAKE THE GLOBAL TOP TEN LIST

KATRINA CROSBY WRITES – We all know that choosing an airline can be stressful, and with so many to choose from, it is hard to know which would be the best pick. Fortunately, Trip Advisor just announced its list of Top 10 Airlines in the World, according to customer satisfaction. This list is to help make travel as painless as possible. On this list, there is no surprise that 7 out of the 10 airlines are of Asian descent.

Landing in tenth place is an airline that we are all familiar with, Korean Air. With its mission to show excellence in flight, it truly achieves this goal. According to its website, as of 2018, the airlines has achieved ownership in 164 aircrafts, allowing it to travel through 43 countries across the map.

Next on the list is Azul Brazilian Airlines. Commencing in 2008, Azul continues to rise in popularity. It covers over 100 locations and flies around 792 times a day! Special recognition is found in its offered legroom, snack choices, and the live stream of TV that can occur at any passenger’s seat.

Eight on the top-ten list is Qatar Airways, which has recently been a big winner of the APEX Passenger Choice Award Ceremony in Shanghai this year. This airline is notable for its cabin service, food and drinks, and seat comfort. When asked, the Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, said that the experience of the airline should “exceed all [passengers’] expectations and to be truly better than anything [they] have experienced before.”

Known for its low fares, 7th place is Jet 2 and 6th place is the American airline, Southwest.

Looking back upon Asia, Taiwan’s very own EVA Air takes 5th place. EVA Air has been part of the Star Alliance since 2013, which is only 22 years after it first launched flights. Star Alliance, as a whole, recently had been named the Airline Alliance of the year for the Air Transport Awards, which took place in Dubai this 2018. Other Star Alliance airlines include Air China, Asiana Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, United Airlines, and a multitude of others.

Fourth place is Japan Airlines, which flies to over 56 countries and regions. The company, founded in 1951, was Japan’s first international airlines. In 2017, it won the most punctual Asia-Pacific Major airline for both national and international flights. For future endeavors, Japan Airlines has recently partnered with Boom to be the first to offer supersonic air travel to their passengers. Yoshiharu Ueki, President of Japan Airlines, said in a press release covering this topic, that his goal is to provide “more ‘time’” to the passengers while still “emphasizing flight safety.”

Based in Dubai, the next on the list is Emirates. Emirates offers over 155 locations for 80 different countries worldwide. Last year, Emirates took the prize for first place in Trip Advisor’s Top 10 Airlines, and it is not hard to see why. All cabins on board have access to the most luxurious entertainment with the newest movies and television shows. In recent news, Emirates has just announced its Boeing 777 with a fully enclosed first class suite.

Just under first place comes an airline that has been continuously praised for its services. Air New Zealand has won Airline of the Year for AirlineRatings.com and Top Airline in the World for Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards. In addition, it has won Innovation Awards by Technology Solutions Awards and the Best Premium Economy Class from Trip Advisor itself. Air New Zealand began in 1940, under the parent name, Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL). At first, TEAL only flew flying boats, but after changing its name to Air New Zealand Limited, it began to fly international carriers. Air New Zealand joined the Star Alliance in 1999, connecting it to Lufthansa, Thai Airways, United Airlines, and previously mentioned, EVA Air.

First and foremost, the top airline of 2018 was awarded to another member of Star Alliance. No surprise! Singapore Airlines has a hefty award history. From winning Business Traveler USA’s 2017 Best Overall Airline in the World for the 27th time to Robb Report China’s Best Airline award for its 6th year, Singapore Airlines has accommodations to back up the well-deserved recognition. In this past December of 2017, the company released brand new cabin products in their Airbus A380 that lets its guests have a full-size bed and seats. The company began taking off in 1947, continuing to grow in each year. In 2001, the airline was one of the first to introduce audio and video on-demand to all passengers. Additionally, in 2010, Singapore Airlines was the first to create a cookbook, Above and Beyond: A Collection of Recipes from the Singapore Airlines International Culinary Panel. By making such advances in more than just safety, but also by showing emphasis on comfort, entertainment, and quality, Singapore Airlines stands out compared to the rest.

All of the airlines mentioned above are distinguished by their patrons. Whether it is found in the details or the overall timeliness, these airlines are ones that should act as the models for others.