Cathay Pacific Airways is the best airline in the world for 2014, having moved five places up the Skytrax 2014 World Airline Awards top 10 list since last year. Malaysia Airlines comes in at 18th best in the world despite recent tragedies.

 

The World Airline Customer Survey surveyed 18.85 million business and leisure travellers across all cabin travel types (first, business, premium economy and economy) between August 2013 and May 2014.

The survey covered more than 105 participant nationalities and more than 245 airlines, from large international airlines to smaller domestic carriers, measuring standards across 41 key performance indicators of airline front-end product and service.

Last year’s winner Emirates dropped three places to fourth place, while 2011 and 2012 winner Qatar Airways came in at second place this year.

Cathay Pacific is the only airline to have reached the number one spot four times, in 2003, 2005, 2009 and 2014.

Skytrax chief executive officer Edward Plaisted said Cathay Pacific Airways was the best performer across all types of travel.

“Some airlines were very good in economy, others in luxury, but Cathay Pacific Airways was top, or near the top, in all categories.”

Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Ivan Chu said on receiving the award at the Farnborough International Air Show in the UK:

“We have been the home airline of Hong Kong for close to 70 years and we are deeply committed to building our city into one of the world’s great aviation hubs. We do this through our huge investment in new aircraft, our world-beating seats, lounges and other products, our renowned ‘service straight from the heart’ and an ever-expanding network of destinations.”

AirAsia was named the world’s best low-cost airline for the sixth year in a row. AirAsia Group chief executive officer Tony Fernandes said guests’ valuable criticisms and feedback contributed to the company’s success.

“From two ageing aircraft and just six routes back in 2002, we have grown to operate a proud fleet of over 160 aircraft, 95 destinations and carried over 250 million guests.”

The world’s best 20 airlines – 2014:

1. Cathay Pacific Airways
2. Qatar Airways
3. Singapore Airlines
4. Emirates
5. Turkish Airlines
6. ANA All Nippon Airways
7. Garuda Indonesia
8. Asiana Airlines
9. Etihad Airways
10. Lufthansa
11. Qantas Airways
12. EVA Air
13. Swiss
14. Thai Airways
15. Virgin Australia
16. Air New Zealand
17. British Airways
18. Malaysia Airlines
19. Hainan Airlines
20. Bangkok Airways

The world’s best low-cost airlines:

1. AirAsia
2. AirAsiaX
3. Norwegian
4. Jetstar Airways
5. Indigo
6. easyJet
7. WestJet
8. Virgin America
9. Jetstar Asia
10. Scoot

The world’s best airline cabin crew:

1. Garuda Indonesia
2. Cathay Pacific Airways
3. Singapore Airlines
4. Asiana Airlines
5. Malaysia Airlines
6. Qatar Airways
7. EVA Air
8. ANA All Nippon Airways
9. Thai Airways
10. Hainan Airlines

The world’s best regional airlines:

1. Bangkok Airways
2. Dragonair
3. Aegean Airlines
4. SilkAir
5. Porter Airlines
6. Copa Airlines
7. jetBlue Airways
8. Tianjin Airlines
9. Alaska Airlines
10. Shenzhen Airlines

The world’s best airline inflight entertainment:

1. Emirates
2. Singapore Airlines
3. Turkish Airlines
4. Qantas Airways
5. Cathay Pacific Airways
6. Virgin Atlantic
7. Qatar Airways
8. Air New Zealand
9. Virgin Australia
10. Etihad Airways

The world’s best airlines in first class:

1. Singapore Airlines
2. ANA All Nippon Airways
3. Etihad Airways
4. Cathay Pacific Airways
5. Emirates
6. Lufthansa
7. Qantas Airways
8. Qatar Airways
9. Garuda Indonesia
10. Japan Airlines

The world’s best airlines in business class:

1. Qatar Airways
2. Cathay Pacific Airways
3. Singapore Airlines
4. Oman Air
5. Turkish Airlines
6. Qantas Airways
7. Etihad Airways
8. Garuda Indonesia
9. Emirates
10. Hainan Airlines

The world’s best airlines in economy class:

1. Asiana Airlines
2. Garuda Indonesia
3. Turkish Airlines
4. Qatar Airways
5. Cathay Pacific Airways
6. Singapore Airlines
7. EVA Air
8. Oman Air
9. Emirates
10. Thai Airways

The world’s best first class airline lounges:

1. Air France
2. Lufthansa
3. Cathay Pacific Airways
4. Etihad Airways
5. Thai Airways
6. Qatar Airways
7. British Airways
8. Emirates
9. Qantas Airways
10. Singapore Airlines

The world’s best business class airline lounges:

1. Qatar Airways
2. Turkish Airlines
3. Cathay Pacific Airways
4. Qantas Airways
5. British Airways
6. EVA Air
7. Virgin Atlantic
8. Etihad Airways
9. Emirates
10. Singapore Airlines