Airlines in the Middle East featured prominently at the prestigious Skytrax World Airline Awards 2023, with category wins for Qatar Airways and Kuwait Airways, as well as prominent ranking for Emirates and Etihad.
Often referred to as the “Oscars of the aviation industry”, the World Airline Awards are an independent and impartial ranking of the world’s leading aviation companies.
Top spot was taken by Singapore Airlines, with Qatar Airways collecting three awards.
World’s Best Airlines 2023
Qatar’s national carrier further underlines the strength of its Business Class offering, with three category wins.
Qatar Airways was named:
- World’s Best Business Class
- World’s Best Business Class Lounge – Al Mourjan Lounge
- World’s Best Business Class Lounge Dining
It also took the title of best Middle East airline.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: “Qatar Airways is delighted to win the World’s Best Business Class award at this year’s Skytrax World Airline Awards.
“This is testimony to the collective endeavour in the airline that enables us to deliver an unsurpassed customer experience.
“Three further awards for Best Airline in the Middle East, World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge and World’s Best Business Class Lounge Dining illustrate Qatar Airways’ leadership in the sector, as well as, its high degree of innovation and commitment.”
Skytrax also listed the 10 best airlines in the Middle East for 2023.
Top position was claimed by Qatar Airways, with intense competition among premium high-profile brands.
Best Airlines in the Middle East 2023
- Qatar Airways
- Emirates
- Etihad Airways
- Saudi Arabian Airlines
- Oman Air
- Gulf Air
- Kuwait Airways
- Flynas
- flyDubai
- Air Arabia
Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA), the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, advanced 11 positions in the Skytrax airlines ranking of the World Best Airlines 2023.
SAUDIA jumped to the 23rd spot in the 2023 rankings, based on traveller votes.
SAUDIA has achieved significant jumps in this ranking over the past few years, as it jumped from 82nd to 51 in 2017 and then again to 26 in 2021.
The progress in international rankings comes at a time when SAUDIA seeks to contribute to achieving the goals of the national strategy for transportation, logistics services and the national strategy for the aviation sector.
In addition, to strengthen the Kingdom’s efforts in serving the visiting pilgrims for Hajj and Umrah, and to also support and encourage tourism through participation in all seasons and various entertainment, cultural, sports and economic events.
In another win for Middle East aviation, Kuwait Airways won 2023 award as the World’s Most Improved Airline.
Organisers said the award reflects the airline’s quality improvement across the board.
AirAsia was the winner of the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline award, a title it has won each year since 2010.
25 Best Airlines in the World
- Singapore Airlines
- Qatar Airways
- ANA All Nippon Airways
- Emirates
- Japan Airlines
- Turkish
- Air France
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- EVA Air
- Korean Air
- Hainan Airlines
- Swiss International Air Lines
- Etihad Airways
- Iberia
- Fiji Airways
- Vistara
- Qantas Airways
- British Airways
- Air New Zealand
- Delta Air Lines
- Lufthansa
- Virgin Atlantic
- SAUDIA
- Finnair
- KLM Royal Dutch
The World Airline Awards began in 1999, when Skytrax launched its first global, annual airline customer satisfaction survey.
It is not restricted to member airlines or a pre-selected choice of airline, and any airline in the world can be nominated.
There are no survey entry fees, no payment to attend the awards event, and no charges for any use of the award logos and results by winning airlines.
The focus of the survey is for customers to make their own, personal choices as to which airline they consider to be the best, underlining the brand as the Passenger’s Choice Awards.
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