Regarded as ‘the Oscars of the aviation industry’, Skytrax’s 2022 World Airline Awards saw the industry gather at the Langham Hotel in London, United Kingdom, on Friday, 23 September to celebrate the first in-person event in two years.
Supplied image: Qatar Airways winning the “Airline of the Year” Award by Skytrax for the seventh time
The winners of the World Airline Awards, now in its 24th year, are selected based on an annual customer satisfaction survey run by Skytrax, which keeps the process totally independent and impartial. This year’s event saw over 80 major awards handed out across various categories.
Qatar Airways was named Airline of the Year for the seventh time, and walked away with another three major awards, namely: World’s Best Business Class; World’s Best Business Class Lounge Dining; and Best Airline in the Middle East.
Qatar Airways group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: “To be named as the World’s Best Airline was always a goal when Qatar Airways was created, but to win it for the seventh time and pick up three additional awards is a testament to all the hard work of our incredible employees. Their continued dedication and drive is to ensure our passengers have the best experience possible when they fly with Qatar Airways. To win these awards in the same year that we celebrate our 25th anniversary is even more rewarding and I want to offer a sincere thanks to all our passengers who voted for us. Your support drives us to greater achievements every day, we value your loyalty and aim to create memories of a lifetime when you fly with Qatar Airways.”
South Africa’s own FlySafair was named the Best Low-Cost Airline in Africa for the second year running.
“The FlySafair team is a group of amazing people, and we are extremely proud of the hard work they put into making sure our passengers enjoy a seamless, on-time travel experience,” said Kirby Gordon, chief marketing officer at FlySafair. “To have this dedication to our customers recognised at this level is a testament to the care and commitment our staff bring to work each day.
“We’re always a little prouder of awards that we know are based on customer feedback,” Gordon continued. “It’s great to be recognised by the industry but we’re always at pains to keep our focus on customer service regardless of whether the business is doing well, or poorly.”
2022 World Airline Award winners
The world’s top 20 airlines in 2022, according to Skytrax:
- Qatar Airways
- Singapore Airlines
- Emirates
- ANA (All Nippon Airways)
- Qantas Airways
- Japan Airlines
- Turkish Airlines
- Air France
- Korean Air
- Swiss International Air Lines
- British Airways
- Etihad Airways
- China Southern Airlines
- Hainan Airlines
- Lufthansa
- Cathay Pacific
- KLM
- EVA Air
- Virgin Atlantic
- Vistara
| Category | Winner |
| World’s Best Cabin Staff | Singapore Airlines |
| World’s Best Airline Cabin Cleanliness | ANA All Nippon Airways |
| World’s Best Independent Airport Lounge | Plaza Premium |
| World’s Best Business Class Lounge | Virgin Atlantic |
| World’s Best Leisure Airline | SunExpress |
| World’s Best Low-Cost Airline/Best Low-Cost Airline in Asia | AirAsia |
| Best Low-Cost Airline in Europe | Ryanair |
| Best Low-Cost Airline in North America | Southwest Airlines |
| Best Low-Cost Airline in Africa | FlySafair |
| World’s Best Long Haul Low-Cost Airline | Scoot |
| World’s Best in Class Airlines | |
| The World Best First Class Airline | Singapore Airlines |
| The World’s Best Business Class Airline | Qatar Airways |
| The World’s Best Premium Economy Class Airline | Virgin Atlantic |
| The World’s Best Economy Class Airline | Emirates |
