Well, this might be premature and a wee bit confusing (like the numbering of yearly FIFA video games). Ahead of the year itself, Singapore Airlines (SIA) has already attained the title of Airline of the Year for 2019 by AirlineRatings.com.
The flag carrier airline managed to topple five-time winner Air New Zealand from its throne, jumping two places from its 2018 ranking. Right now, SIA sits on top of the airline safety and product rating website’s list, followed by Air New Zealand right behind, Qantas in third place, Qatar Airways in fourth and Virgin Australia in third.
SIA’s jump to the top is attributed to the addition of new aircraft and the non-stop Singapore-New York flight. “In our objective analysis, Singapore Airlines came out number one in many of our audit criteria, which is a great performance,” enthused AirlineRatings.com chief editor Geoffrey Thomas.
“For years Singapore Airlines has been the gold standard, and now it is back to its best leading in passenger innovations and new state-of-the-art aircraft models.”
SIA also took home the First Class award for the second time in a row thanks to its new Airbus A380 First Class Suites, described by the site as stylish and equivalent of small hotel rooms.
The well-acclaimed airline, however, lost its 2018 title of having the best cabin crew, an award nabbed by Virgin Australia. “Virgin Australia’s cabin crew treat every passenger whether in row 1 or at the back of the aircraft as a special guest,” remarked Thomas, adding that the quality of service is just as high for its ground staff. “Their commitment to their passengers is outstanding and is a benchmark of what cabin service should be.”
Judged by seven editors with a combined total of over 200 years of industry experience, the AirlineRatings.com Airline Excellence Awards combines safety and government audits with criteria that include product offerings, staff relations, fleet age, passenger reviews, and investment ratings.
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