If there a industry that carries the national flag of the country in the eyes of the world, it must be the Airlines.
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AirAsia Bhd director Datuk Fam Lee Ee (third from left), chairman Datuk Aziz Bakar (fourth from left), chief executive officer Aireen Omar and AirAsia deputy CEO and AirAsia X co-founder and director Datuk Kamarudin Meranun with the four Skytrax World Airline Awards in Le Bourget, Paris, yesterday. Pic by Leslie Andres
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World Airline Awards
Best Low-Cost Airlines
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| 1 | AirAsia |
| 2 | Jetstar Airways |
| 3 | Virgin America |
| 4 | AirAsia X |
| 5 | Indigo |
| 6 | Norwegian |
| 7 | Jetstar Asia |
| 8 | easyJet |
| 9 | WestJet |
| 10 | Azul Airlines |
Best Low-Cost Airlines
ASIA
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| 1 | AirAsia |
| 2 | AirAsia X |
| 3 | Indigo |
| 4 | Jetstar Asia |
| 5 | Scoot |
| 6 | SpiceJet |
| 7 | Tiger Airways (Singapore) |
| 8 | Peach |
| 9 | Nok Air |
| 10 | Air Busan |
Malaysia's flagship carrier, Malaysia Airlines however performed badly dropping from 10 to 14th place in the World Airlines ranking, just like how KLIA rankings dropped in World Airports Awards ranking. Malaysia Airlines did come out third is best cabin staff category after Cathay Pacific and Asiana Airlines respectively.
Malaysia Airlines did win the ‘Best Airline Signature Dish’ for its Satay, a traditional Malay dish, served in the First and Business Class cabins. This is the airlines’ second year running to win this award. While as Malaysians we can be proud that "Satay" won Malaysia Airlines the award, i doubt the airline itself can be proud of its performance. The Government must step in to see what is the cause that Malaysia Airlines and KLIA have plummetted so badly in the world rankings when they were once top in the world, especially when the country is expected to see an increased number of visitors to Malaysia in the coming years as the 9th most visited destination in the world!
Emirates came from 8th last year to take the coveted No: 1 position. Last year's No.1 airline, Qatar Airways, dropped one place to number two, while Singapore Airlines remained in third place for the second year in a row.
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| Emirates - Reuters Pic |
| THE WORLD"S BEST AIRLINES | |
| 1 | Emirates |
| 2 | Qatar Airways |
| 3 | Singapore Airlines |
| 4 | ANA All Nippon Airways |
| 5 | Asiana Airlines |
| 6 | Cathay Pacific Airways |
| 7 | Etihad Airways |
| 8 | Garuda Indonesia |
| 9 | Turkish Airlines |
| 10 | Qantas Airways |
The World Airline Awards were presented at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget.
AirAsia Group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said it was an honour for the airline to be voted the best low cost airline for the fifth consecutive year and thanked all "190 million guests" to date for their support. "Our journey does not end here, as we strive to make flying even more enjoyable and affordable for our guests in the years to come.It is also a proud moment to be receiving both the World's Best Low Cost Airline in Premium Class and Premium Class Seat awards for AirAsia X, as it is a testament of our continuous effort to deliver one of the best in-flight comforts."
Present to receive the awards yesterday were AirAsia deputy group chief executive officer Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, who is also AirAsia X co-founder and director, and AirAsia Bhd chairman Datuk Aziz Bakar. Kamarudin said, considering many airlines were in contention for the awards, it was an honour for AirAsia to win."You must remember we have only been around for 12 years. There is a lot more to be done." He said the awards were a proud moment not just for AirAsia but also for "the people of Malaysia"."We have managed to bring the name of Malaysia to the world stage, so this is a proud moment for us all."
AirAsia Bhd CEO Aireen Omar echoed Kamarudin and Aziz's sentiments, adding that the future now would be for AirAsia staff to challenge themselves to do even better.
The Skytrax World Airline Awards is the global benchmark of airline excellence. It is based on a global survey, conducted over a 10-month period, among travellers from more than 160 countries and covering more than 200 airlines.
AirAsia was established in 2001 and is one of the pioneer low cost carriers in Asia.
Together with its affiliates in Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Japan, it operates a fleet of 123 Airbus A320 aircraft to 85 destinations across 21 countries, with standing orders for more than 475 aircraft to be delivered in stages until 2026.
AirAsia India is also set to join the group, increasing its number of destinations.
AirAsia X was the first long-haul low cost carrier to introduce Premium Flatbed seats with standard business class specifications, including the ability to fully recline.
Source: New Straits Times, Astro AwaniSkytrax
http://www.worldairlineawards.com/Awards_2013/Airline2013.htm
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