World’s best airlines for 2021 revealed

Qatar Airways tops the list of 20 best airlines thanks to its dedication and commitment to operation during the pandemic

The world has had to adjust to living with a pandemic and so has the aviation industry. In the latest airline ranking, AirlineRatings.com awarded Qatar Airways 2021 airline of the year.

The carrier was selected as the number one airline due to “its cabin innovation, passenger service, and its dedication and commitment to continue to operate throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” the rating agency said in an announcement.

#QatarAirways is proud to have won the Airline of the Year, Best Business Class, Best Middle East Airline & Best Catering awards 2021 by AirlineRatings Awards!
Read more here: https://t.co/qvy9mIzkiG pic.twitter.com/u3D9pBXxwH
— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) July 21, 2021

“Receiving the 2021 Airline of the Year is particularly special for Qatar Airways,” said Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker.

“Over the past 16 months, the aviation industry has witnessed some of its darkest days, but Qatar Airways has continued to operate and stand by our passengers despite many other airlines halting operations due to the pandemic.”

Qatar Airways is followed by Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, Qantas, and Emirates

To make it into the top 20, air carriers had to reach a seven-star safety rating alongside innovation leadership in passenger comfort.

“We are focused on leadership and airlines that innovate to make a real difference to the passenger experience,” said AirlineRatings.com Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas. “In our evaluation, we also consider the audited feedback from passengers on our website.”

Air New Zealand took second place this year thanks to its innovation and industry leadership. Singapore Airlines was rated third for its technology innovation and in-flight products and it also received an award for the Best First Class.

Qantas picked up fourth place based on its safety record and fiscal performance, followed by Emirates in fifth.

AirlineRatings.com is the global forerunner in safety, product, and COVID-19 ratings. It usually announces its top airlines in November but decided to make schedule changes with regard to the pandemic.

“We pushed the 2021 announcement into the 2021 year due to the chaos of COVID-19 and we wanted to see how the industry would handle the pandemic over a longer period of time before making selections,” explained Thomas for CNN.