Air New Zealand has been named the world’s best airline for 2023 — with Qantas coming sixth and Virgin Australia nabbing seventh spot
The Auckland-based airline took out the prestigious title in the AirlineRatings.com annual awards, after coming second to Qatar Airways last year.
The Doha-based airline won the award in 2021 and 2022, but this time it fell one spot behind the Kiwi carrier with Etihad securing third place, Korean Air in fourth and Singapore Airlines nabbing fifth spot.
The Airline Excellence Awards is judged by editors with more than 200 years of combined aviation experience — it recognises the gold standard in the airline industry with more than 350 airlines considered against a strict criterion spanning passenger comfort, innovation, value and safety.
Qantas came sixth with the only other Aussie airline, Virgin Australia, securing seventh spot — while Jetstar missed out of the Top 25.
It’s the seventh time the Kiwi airline has been honoured for its multi award-winning in-flight innovations such as the SkyNest economy beds, operational safety, environmental leadership and motivation of its staff.
AirlineRatings.com — the world’s only safety and product rating website — had five judges on the panel assessing 11 key areas including fleet age, passenger reviews, profitability, investment rating, product offerings and staff relations.
“In our objective analysis Air New Zealand came out number one in many key areas although it was a very close scoring for the top five,” Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas said in a statement.
Not only did it win overall airline of the year, but it also walked away with having the ‘best economy class and sixth for ‘excellence in long haul travel’.
“We owe our success to the dedication and hard work of our 12,000 Air New Zealanders who wake each morning to connect Kiwis with each other and the world,” Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran said.
“This award belongs to them for their grit, commitment, and the exceptional service they deliver every day.”
He said winning the award is a sign the airline has got its “swing back”.
“As with many airlines worldwide, we understand that our fantastic team faces difficulties in providing the service we strive for and that our customers expect. We’re working hard toaddress these challenges,” he added.
Mr Foran said the airline has more work to do to tackle customer concerns like wait times,
on-time departures and arrivals, lost baggage, and refunds.
“We want to thank our customers for their patience and support as we work towards delivering the greatest flying experience on Earth.”
Air NZ also recently announced it has partnered with Aotea for its all-new amenity kits that will feature Aotea’s Kawakawa Balm and Harakeke Seed Oil & Mānuka Water Hand and Body Cream. The new kits will be available on-board its flights.
Best Lounges – Qantas
Qantas picked up Best Lounges award. It has a network of more than 51 lounges across Australia and around the world.
Markus Svensson, Qantas Group Chief Customer Officer said the lounges offer a premium hospitality experience for its top tier travellers and frequent flyers.
“[And] our customers tell us every day how much they enjoy spending time in them,” he told news.com.au.
“We recently announced a $100-million global lounge upgrade investment program to build four brand new lounges, including a flagship First Lounge at London’s Heathrow Airport, and refresh existing ones to ensure we continue to offer one of the best pre-flight lounge experiences of any airline in the world.”
Best Cabin Crew – Virgin Australia
If you’re wondering who has the ‘Best Cabin Crew’, it’s s Virgin Australia/VirginAtlantic and they’re not surprised.
It’s the fifth time in a row they have nabbed this award.
“There is no doubt this achievement is down to our amazing people who are at the heart of everything we do. It reflects our commitment to delivering consistently outstanding service and the wonderful experiences our cabin crew team bring to life every time you step on-board,” Virgin Australia Group CEO, Jayne Hrdlicka
“We’ve rebuilt the airline from the ground up and continued to invest in areas that truly matter to our guests, and I am incredibly proud this has once again positioned us as one of the top ten airlines globally in the AirlineRatings.com Airline Excellence Awards.”
Best Business Class and First Class – Qatar and Singapore Airlines
Meanwhile, Qatar Airways picked up ‘Best Business Class’ for the fourth-year running and Best Catering.
And when it comes to who has the ‘Best First Class’, that went to Singapore Airlines, alongside being named Best Airline South-East Asia
“Even though the demand for air travel fell drastically during the Covid-19 pandemic, we continued to invest in our premium service offerings on the ground and in the sky,” a Singapore Airlines spokesman told news.com.au.
“We continued to retrofit our A380 fleet with our latest cabin products, including our Suites cabin, which only feature on our A380 aircraft, and provide customers with a sense of exclusivity and intimate privacy.”
So, what makes it so good?
“Behind the artistically-designed sliding door lies a personal oasis complete with lavish furnishing and finishes alongside a separate full-flat bed with adjustable recline and plush leather chair,” the spokesperson said.
“For couples travelling together, the beds in the first two Suites of each aisle can be converted to form a double bed. When not in use, the bed can be stowed completely, creating even more personal space within each Suite.”
Meanwhile, the ‘Best-In-Flight Entertainment and Best Premium Economy’ went to Emirates.
While the new seat class already launched in Sydney last year much to the delight of passengers, the airline, which is one of two flag carriers of the United Arab Emirates, announced the debut of its plush new cabin in Melbourne in April.
Featuring cream leather seats and a wood veneer, the cabin offers a “signature experience unmatched in the industry”, according to the airline.
“These awards reflect the commitment and hard work of Emirates to make our brand promise – Fly Better – a reality for customers worldwide,” Barry Brown, divisional vice president, Australasia, told news.com.au.
“With Emirates, customers have access to an industry-leading inflight entertainment system offering more than 6,500 on-demand channels, while the introduction of Premium Economy as part of our multi-million dollar retrofit programme is offering customers a signature experience unmatched in the industry.”