Ratings: Qatar Airways Named World's Best Airline for 2015
Qatar Airways was tabbed as the world's best airline in 2015, according to the annual World Airline Awards published by Skytrax.
Qatar Airways' title came as year's winner -- Cathay Pacific -- dropped to third place in the ratings, which were awarded at a Tuesday ceremony on the grounds of the Paris Air Show.
Singapore Airlines placed second in the Skytrax ratings, followed by Cathay Pacific, Turkish Airlines and Emirates. The full top 10:
1. Qatar Airways
2. Singapore Airlines
3. Cathay Pacific
4. Turkish Airlines
5. Emirates
6. Etihad Aiways
7. All Nippon Airways (ANA)
8. Garuda Indonesia
9. EVA Air (Taiwan)
10. Qantas
Qatar Airways, which has an extraordinarily large presence at the 2015 air show, was represented at the ceremony by CEO Akbar Al Baker. He credited his staff for the first-place finish.
Al Baker was just one of several airline CEOs mixing and mingling with the crowd at the 2015 World Airline Awards. Others spotted in the crowd were Tony Fernandes of AirAsia and Robert Deluce of Canadian carrier Porter Airlines. Porter beat out JetBlue and Alaska Airlines for the title of "best regional carrier" in North America.
SkyTrax, a U.K.-based travel consultancy that runs what it calls the "world's largest review site," determines its annual ratings from reviews by more than 18 million passengers that represent more than 100 countries. The reviews cover everything from cabin interiors to in-flight food and entertainment to the friendliness of staff.
Though there are numerous awards rating airlines, the Skytrax are widely followed by airlines.
Among the other notable awards for 2015:
World's Best Cabin Staff:
1. Garuda Indonesia; 2. Cathay Pacific; Singapore Airlines
World's Best First-Class Airline:
1. Etihad Airways; 2. Singapore Airlines; 3. All Nippon
World's Best Business Class Airline:
1. Singapore Airlines; 2. Qatar Airways; 3. Cathay Pacific
World's Best Economy Class Airline:
1. Asiana Airlines; 2. Singapore Airlines; 3. Qatar Airways
World's Best Low-cost Airlines:
1. AirAsia; 2. Virgin America; 3. Norwegian Air
World's Best In-flight Entertainment:
1. Emirates; 2. Qatar Airways; 3. Singapore Airlines
Best Low-Cost Airlines in North America:
1. Virgin America; 2. WestJet; 3. Southwest Airlines
World's Best First-Class Lounges:
1. Lufthansa; 2. Etihad; 3. Air France
World's Best Business Class Lounges:
1. Turkish Airlines; 2. Singapore Airlines; 3. Cathay Pacific
World's Best First-Class Seats:
1. Singapore Airlines; 2. Etihad; 3. Emirates
World's Best Business Class Seats:
1. Qatar Airways; 2. Japan Airlines; 3. Singapore Airlines
World's Best Economy Class Seats:
1. Japan Airlines; 2. Garuda Indonesia; 3. EVA Air