Airline Ratings

[kenandlat 0]

Well, your personal Surf King has found a URL that offers Airline Rankings. Bookmark this URL so you can use it's rating system as an added input into choosing your airline of choice for all your air travel plans. Ken Bower, Surf King

http://www.airlinequality.com/StarRanking/ranking.htm

 

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5 Star Airlines

 

the Premier Quality Status

 

 

What makes a 5 Star Airline

 

 

 

Airlines currently Awarded 5 Star status are listed below - for rating details use airline name link.

 

 

 

Cathay Pacific Airways *

 

Singapore Airlines*

 

I was very pleased that Skytrax agrees with me that Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines ARE a full step above ALL others when it comes to service and comfort. As most of you know, I've flown more airlines to more countries than anyone I know. (39 Countries and all 50 United States). I would totally agree with all the 5 and 4 star airlines, exccept for Asiana, Korean, and Saudi Arabia which I would have only given 3 stars, and agree that all those NOT mentioned in the 5 or 4 star list, should be avoided if possible. I have placed an astrict to show the airlines I have flown on. Ken Bower

 

 

World Airline Star Ranking

 

Since 2000, Skytrax have operate the global Star Rating system for the world airline industry - much like you might choose a hotel by it's Star Ranking, you can now view Airline standards according to their rating status.

 

 

 

Each airline is ranked on the basis of front-line Product and Service quality, and the Star Ranking status is based on "international" product and service standards where applicable.

 

 

 

In the case of domestic-only airlines, the ranking reflects their domestic product and service quality.

 

 

 

Of prime importance to all Star Ranking data, is evaluating the reality of the "delivered" product and service to customers.

 

 

 

This means for example, that a low cost airline with a much reduced product offering can still be eligible for a high star ranking - if it fulfils the conceived quality target.

 

 

 

As will be seen from the different ranking pages, considerable emphasis is placed upon the final standards of "service delivery" be it from airport staff or the cabin staff onboard flights.

 

 

 

For a detailed Quality Analysis of what is assessed in an Airline Star Rankingreview, refer to Ranking System

 

(Information only available to featured airlines)

 

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4 Star Airlines

To obtain more information on airline rankings, click airline name and link to rating page.

 

Aer Lingus

 

Air Dolomiti

 

Air New Zealand

 

Air Tahiti Nui

 

Alitalia

 

All Nippon Airways

 

Asiana Airlines*

 

Austrian Airlines

 

Braathens

 

British Airways*

 

bmi British Midland

 

China Airlines*

 

Dragonair

 

Emirates

 

Etihad Airways (Rating suspended)

 

EVA Airways*

 

Finnair

 

Frontier Airlines*

 

Gulf Air

 

Japan Airlines*

 

K L M*

 

Korean Air*

 

LanChile

 

Lauda Air

 

Lufthansa*

 

Luxair

 

Malaysia Airlines*

 

Midwest Airlines

 

Polynesian Airlines

 

Portugalia Airlines

 

Qantas Airways*

 

Qatar Airways

 

SN Brussels Airlines

 

SAS Scandinavian*

 

Saudi Arabian*

 

Silk Air

 

South African Airways

 

SriLankan Airlines

 

Swiss Int'l Air Lines*

 

Thai Airways (35 trips to Thailand and never flew on Thai Int'l)

 

Virgin Atlantic

 

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3 Star Airlines

To obtain more information on airline rankings, click airline name and link to rating page.

 

Adria Airways

 

Aegean Airlines

 

Aerolineas Argentinas

 

Aero Asia

 

Aeroflot

 

Aeromexico*

 

Aerosvit Airlines

 

Air Alfa Hava Yollari

 

Air Algerie

 

Air Asia

 

Air Baltic

 

Air Canada

 

Aircalin (Air Caledonie)

 

Air China

 

Air Europa

 

Air France* Probably only a 2 star if you factor in insulent crew/ground peeps

 

Air India*

 

Air Jamaica

 

Air Liberte

 

Air Macau

 

Air Malta

 

Air Mauritius

 

Air Namibia

 

Air Niugini

 

Air Pacific

 

Air Paradise International

 

Air Sahara

 

Air Seychelles

 

Air VIA

 

Airtours (My Travel)

 

AirTran Airways*

 

Alaska Airlines

 

Aloha Airlines

 

American Airlines*

 

America West Airlines*

 

AOM French Airlines

 

ceased operating

 

Angel Air

 

ceased operating

 

ATA

 

Australian Airlines

 

Avensa

 

Avianca

 

Bahamasair

 

Balkan Bulgarian

 

Bangkok Airways

 

Biman Bangladesh

 

bmibaby

 

Britannia Airways

 

British Mediterranean

 

BWIA West Indies Airways

 

Canada 3000

 

ceased operating

 

China Eastern

 

China Northern

 

China Southern

 

City Jet

 

Continental Airlines*

 

COPA Panama

 

Croatia Airlines

 

CSA Czech Airlines

 

Cubana Airlines

 

Cyprus Airways*

 

DBA

 

Delta Air Lines*

 

EasyJet Airlines

 

Edelweiss Air

 

Egyptair

 

El Al Israel Airlines

 

Estonian Air

 

Ethiopian Airlines*

 

Eurowings

 

Excel Airways

 

Far Eastern Air Transport

 

flyBE

 

Garuda Indonesia*

 

Hainan Airlines

 

Hawaiian Airlines*

 

HMY Airways

 

Iberia

 

Icelandair

 

Istanbul Airlines

 

ceased operating

 

Japan Air System*

 

JAT Airways (Yugoslav Airlines)

 

Jet Airways

 

JetBlue Airways

 

Jetmagic

 

ceased operating

 

Kenya Airways

 

Kuwait Airways

 

LAPA

 

LOT Polish Airlines

 

LTU Int'l Airways

 

Macedonian Airways

 

Maersk Air

 

Mahan Air

 

Malev Hungarian

 

Martinair

 

Meridiana

 

Merpati

 

Mexicana*

 

Middle East Airlines

 

Myanmar Airways International

 

My Travel Airways

 

National Airlines

 

Nationwide Airlines

 

Northwest Airlines* Probably a 2 star IMHO

 

Olympic Airways

 

Oman Air

 

Pakistan International

 

Philippine Airlines*

 

Pluna

 

Royal Air Cambodge

 

ceased operating

 

Royal Air Maroc

 

Royal Brunei Airlines

 

Royal Jordanian Airlines

 

Royal Nepal Airlines

 

Ryanair

 

SATA Air Azores

 

Southwest Airlines* Hate the no advance seating

 

Spanair

 

Spirit Airlines

 

T W A *

 

see American Airlines

 

TACA International

 

TAM Brazilian Airlines

 

Tango

 

reverted to Air Canada services

 

TAP Air Portugal

 

Tarom Romanian

 

Tower Air

 

ceased operating

 

Transavia Airlines

 

Transbrasil

 

Tunisair

 

Turkish Airlines

 

United Airlines*

 

Universal Airlines

 

US Airways*

 

Varig

 

VASP Brazilian

 

Vietnam Airlines

 

Virgin Blue

 

Virgin Express

 

VLM Airlines

 

Westjet

 

Yugoslav Airlines

 

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2 Star Airlines

To obtain more information on airline rankings, click airline name and link to rating page.

 

 

 

Air Afrique

 

ceased operations

 

Air Kazakhstan

 

Air Malawi

 

Air Slovakia

 

Air Zimbabwe

 

Armenian Airlines

 

Azerbaijan Airlines

 

Cameroon Airlines

 

Ghana Airways

 

Indian Airlines*

 

Iran Air

 

Lithuanian Airlines

 

Pulkovo Airlines

 

Sudan Airways

 

Syrianair

 

TAAG Angola Airlines

 

Tajikistan Airlines

 

Transaero Airlines

 

Turkmenistan Airlines

 

Ukraine International

 

Uzbekistan Airways

 

Vasp Brazilian

 

Yemenia Yemen Airways

 

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1 Star Airlines

 

 

This page shows airlines with 1 Star Quality Rating.

 

 

 

To obtain more information on rankings, click airline name and link to their rating page.

 

 

 

 

 

No airline presently Ranked as 1 Star

 

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I would have rated British Caldonian Airlines* as a 4 star, but it's no longer in business. In fact, EVA Airlines bought all of British Caldonians assets when it went bust. I'm not sure if any of their pilots, air crews and ground crews went with EVA in it's early days or not.

 

 

 

I also miss Pan Am Only time I flew First Class was on Pan Am RT LAX-MNL-LAX Won a free RT trip on Pan Am by booking more seats on Pan Am than any other Travel Agent in SoCal one year while I was working in Pasadena CA for ACSC (AAA).

 

 

 

I do NOT miss PSA*, Air California*, Eastern* !

 

 

 

Let me know the airlines you'd put on the 5 star and 4 star list.

 

 

 

Ken Bower

 

San Antonio Texas USA

[valentinoxxx 4]

I disagree that one should avoid airlines below the 4* rating. How about Maersk Air, Air Asia...?

 

Young fleet, leather seats etc

 

They, simply, don't fly long haul.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

I would have rated British Caldonian Airlines* as a 4 star, but it's no longer in business. In fact, EVA Airlines bought all of British Caldonians assets when it went bust. I'm not sure if any of their pilots, air crews and ground crews went with EVA in it's early days or not.

 

Ken,

 

British Caledonian Airways did not go bust - it was merged with BA in the late eighties, a couple of years before EVA Airways came into being, and became a charter airline (Caledonian Airways). This was sold on a couple of times to eventually end up with Thomas Cook who discarded the whole image to form the ill-fated jmc Airlines. It was never bought by EVA.

 

Their TV ad though is an all-time classic ................

 

"I've flown with U.S. airlines, and the girls are really nice

And those beautiful Far Eastern girls, do splendid things with rice (!)

German girls are so correct, and the planes are never late

But there's only one girl we want to see, as we reach the departure gate..."

 

 

Caledonian Girls

 

Tom

[Crackpot 2]

The problem with anyone stating, "This is best" or "That is best" is that everything is relative. People have different tastes, in women food and Airlines.

 

Your best is my worst and vice versa.

 

Not forgetting that most of the surveys about Airlines are done on Business users

[BigDUSA 71]

Back in the cheap seats they tend to be the same as far as drinks, food, etc.

[Emil 0]

Ken,

 

I used the link you provided to find out more detail on what they rated and the formula used. All I could find was that the rating pertained to frontline airport and onboard product and service standards (fares and frequent flyer programs not included) and that if you wanted details you had to belong to one of the airlines.

 

The things that I care about are not even included in their rating system such as:

 

1. Their maintenance program and skill of their mechanics

2. Their pilots

3. Fares

4. Frequent flyer program

5. Legroom

 

I've flown on both Cathay and Singapore and they both have much bettter looking flight attendants than United, but unless they have a S/T room onboard, I don't care.

 

Concerning the food, I eat before I leave the house and again shortly after I arrive. If the food served to me during this time is crap I can survive on stored fat.

 

Now if I was flying and the company was footing the bill, it would be a different story.

 

Emil

[kjvegas 2]

Northwest a 3 star? I can see that, except for their Frequent flyer miles. Seems like anytime you try to use their frequent flyer miles there is a rule buster (blackout date) and are charged double miles. I finally got to use my 58,000 miles on NWA, I am going to New York for fathers day weekend for 5 days, the flight to New York was a rulebuster but the return flight wasn't, so I was charged 37,500 miles for a round trip to Syracuse New York. That's not too bad considering flights have been very expensive lately.

cheers

kj

[kenandlat 0]

Tom,

 

I never said that EVA bought British Caldonian, just that they bought many if not all of their planes and possibly hired some or all of their air and ground crews.

 

If you notice they also inherated their BR code.

 

In any case, I'd like to thank you and all others who have posted here espacially the post that explained how the ratings were formulated.

 

AND I agree that everyone would NOT agree with my opinion or the company that posted the rating. I was just pleased that throughout the 5 star to 2 star ratings, what I would have given the airlines I have flown on was in most cases the same rating that the company doing the Airline Ratings gave.

 

Ken Bower

San Antonio Texas USA

Been to 39 countries, and all 50 United States, chose San Antonio to retire in.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

Ken,

 

British Caledonian Airways ceased to operate in 1987 when it was merged with British Airways, EVA Airways did not fly until 1991 therefore it is likely any crew etc had found other gainful employment in the intervening 4 year period. British Airways absorbed the planes and crews into its Gatwick operations.

 

British Airways then merged British Caledonian's flight operations with its charter subsidiary, British Airtours. The newly formed airline was called simply Caledonian Airways and adopted the original IATA designator of British Airtours, KG. The legal entity that is British Caledonian Airways Limited remains, to this day, as a subsidiary company of BA plc.

 

The designator BR was not inherited by EVA, it was allocated by IATA (EV was already allocated to Atlantic Southeast Airlines).

 

A few more examples of the same are:

 

TN was Australian Airlines (TAA) now Air Tahiti Nui

AE was Air Europe now Mandarin Airlines

UN was Eastern Australia Airlines now Transaero

TE was Air New Zealand (TEAL) now Lithuanian Airlines

BT was Airlines of Northern Australia (Ansett) now Air Baltic

EW was East-West Airlines now Eurowings

WX was Air NSW now CityJet (Air France)

PA was Pan-Am now Florida Coastal Airlines

 

You sure you were a travel agent?

 

Tom

[Babepecker 0]

My limited experience tells me Swiss can't possibly be in the same league (4 star) with Lufthansa, Austrian or Lauda (former 2 being strong candidates for more...).

 

Also, put it to my patriotism if you like, but Croatian (3 stars) also beats Swiss (4 stars) or Turkish (3 stars) on almost everything and doesn't even lose on the maintenance to Swiss, as it has the same plan as Lufthansa which includes servicing each others planes.

 

Still, very interesting thread.

[valentinoxxx 4]

The new Swiss AirBus is apparently rather nice. A close friend travelled with them Bkk to London and reported the experience to be on a par with Singapore Airlines et al.

 

Good quality meal, personal TV...

 

 

Kako se?

[rb 20]

it's funny , I only have one option from MSP-BKK, NW to keep the travel time under one day. I'ld rate the MSP-NRT a 1 star at best, but when we get rid of the 30yr+ flight crew and get the NRT-BKK crew of thai girls it goes to3+ stars.

[JayBee 0]

North West- what a joke. More like North Worst! I have been flying North West for a long time now, ever since I flew them to India and got suckered into sticking with them because of FF miles. I have used some of those miles for domestic flights no problem, but for international either a ticket or an upgrade, forget about it. I am so angry with them now I don't care about the miles. Even though I have more than enough miles, even for the "rule buster" I am only able to upgrade from econ. one way. Unless of course I purchase a full fare economy ticket (only 2000 dollars!). I won't get into the whole story, but I have had nothing but grief trying to use my miles to upgrade for the past few years. As far as I am concerned the whole program is a scam.

 

Highly reccomend you all to avoid North West and especially World Perks Mile Program.

 

-JB

[Babepecker 0]

The new Swiss AirBus is apparently rather nice. A close friend travelled with them Bkk to London and reported the experience to be on a par with Singapore Airlines et al.

 

Good quality meal, personal TV...

 

 

Kako se?

Well, I have just one experience with the Swiss, but some more with the Swissair...

To me, it seems that, together with the personnel (which is acceptable), the same unedible-food-producing catering (except the drinks) and off-puting practise of terribly overbooking and overruning positive return-flight confirmation whenever convenient (yes, I fly on stand-by tickets :) ) have been kept...

 

Nikad bolje, hvala na pitanju. A Vi? (Never better, thanks for asking. And you, sir?)

 

Have you visited Croatia? How did you like it?

[valentinoxxx 4]

Razumijem. Dobro, hvala.

 

No, I have not visited Croatia. Only conversing with friends. Govorim malo Hrvatski.

[Babepecker 0]

Skromni ste, ali rekao bih da to znanje i nije tako malo (You are modest, but I'd say your knowledge is not so diminutive).

 

Anyway, Croatia is a must-see, before we get really expensive...

 

I'd suggest the seaside: Dubrovnik, some islands then Istra + some mainland: Zagreb (our capitol).

 

Btw, if your friends are not Croats, but also Serbs, Bosnians or Montenegrinos, I'd have no problems with that - no nationalistic genes in me...

 

Sretno (good luck, for other Boardies)

 

P.S.: Ako se nekad sretnemo, prvo piće plaćam ja... :)

 

P.P.S.: Sorry for hi-jacking the topic... :)

Great that the Board supports my alphabet, too.

[valentinoxxx 4]

Albanians too.

 

Thanks for the offer. Who knows?

[Babepecker 0]

Yes, who knows - the world is a small place... :)

 

A bit more on the original topic:

 

I must agree with Crackpot: airline is a matter of taste. Characteristics that are important to me, might be completely irrelevant to someone else.

 

I look at the price, safety record, maintenance, relaxed-flight-factors (clean, not-necessarily-new seating; simple, acceptable food; constant availability of non-alc-drinks...), reconfirmation policy etc.

 

No rating company can factor in everything necessary to produce a "fit-all" rating list for airline customer satisfaction. Of course, important topics, like safety, can be separately adequately covered.

 

All IMHO, as usual.