Best Airlines

[richard]

What a shock Thai Airways top regarding Economy class

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/trave ... ravel.html

[Big Boy]

Thankfully, that's blocked for me.

Does the article say how they arrived at that conclusion?

[richard]

They got their info from http://www.airlineratings.com/

[Big Boy]

Yes, it often makes me wonder. Most people fly on holiday once a year, so what are these people marking against? I would also suspect that it doesn't take very much to give your airline the boost it needs in the ratings............... especially if your host destination is undergoing a slump in tourism.

[J.J.B.]

I think many people base their airline experience on things like punctuality or irritants like lost luggage instead of the quality of the food or how much the cabin crew smile. I'm on a plane every week, at least twice and think most airlines are equally poor - certainly when it comes to low cost European ones.

You have a good point, BB, that those going on holiday once each year are statistically less likely to have a bad experience compared with a frequent traveller. Could it also be the fact that Thai Airways is constantly urging its passengers to vote for them on the airline ratings website? It's the constant such begging for approval that annoys me but clearly others are encouraged to act.

[caller]

Certainly, of the regular travellers I know, Thai doesn't enter the equation, particularly on cost. That's my experience too.

[StevePIraq]

If paying my self I would fly Thai as I find they are usually cheapest at least to the Middle East, as for being the best, no way. Etihad and Qatar get my vote

[dozer]

Etihad gets my vote.

For Middle East and Europe I always go with Etihad, business or pleasure.

Japan and North America I use ANA which is good, but not a patch on Etihad.

For Africa, Australia and South America I use Emirates, good but not quite up there with Etihad.

I flew Thai for the first time in a couple of years a few months back, I was on my way back from Libya and picked up Thai Air flight from Heathrow and it was a good enough flight, nothing special.

Oman Air is good, great flatbeds.

[NOKYAI]

I only fly Emirates back and to the UK....can't be arsed with looking for cheap deals. I get good seats, sevice, big luggage allowance and the rewards programme gives regular upgrades.

[jimmy40]

Well you better put me down for Emerites as the best.
Cebu pacific as the worst cattle crate you can think of. Thai airways is the fastest non stop to oz I can find, and if you are the first few to check in. You can upgrade to first class for $300.

[Dannie Boy]

If you look at the Freddie Awards you will see that the Middle East airlines pick up most of the airline awards. Although there isn't much to choose between them, and no doubt because I used to work in Abu Dhabi where Etihad are based, they also get my vote, but I'd be more than happy to fly with Emirates or Qatar if their timing and prices were good. Although it's a few years now since I last flew with them, my favourite business class service was Singapore Airlines - IMO their cabin crew are second to none and their lounge in Singapore is absolutely amazing.

[Big Boy]

If you look at the Freddie Awards you will see that the Middle East airlines pick up most of the airline awards. Although there isn't much to choose between them

That was always my perception, although my last long haul was 3 years ago when I flew here.

[Nereus]

Maybe this is more relevant:

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/trave ... gs-awards/

Air New Zealand has again topped the global rankings of the world’s only product and safety rating website.

Today, AirlineRatings.com announced that Air New Zealand was its Airline of the Year for 2015 while Qantas had jumped up to be ranked number 4 in its global Top Ten.

[STEVE G]

I must have used just about every possible airline between Europe and SE Asia and to be honest there isn't that much difference in the actual flights, they virtually all use aircraft from Boeing or Airbus, filled with seats made by Reccaro and with entertainment systems made and supported by companies like Thales, even all the food normally comes from the same catering companies at each airport. I tend to choose flights based more on departure times, price, total journey times and ease of use of the airports concerned and the actual airline doesn't really come into it much.
As for safety, I work in Airline maintenance and even the most dangerous airline in the world is at least about a thousand times safer than the Bangkok taxi!
I've never used Air New Zealand as they don't come to Europe much and my only complaint about Quantas was that the cabin was far too red, only Austrian had a more visually dazzling interior colour scheme, ( they never mention that in Airline surveys! )

[pharvey]

I've used numerous airlines over the years and can't say many have particularly stood out. Singapore Airlines have have constantly provided good service although have tended to be more expensive than most. More recently, I've used Turkish Airlines and have been very impressed with the service and the standard of the aircraft - certainly the best I have experienced with regards to European carriers.