Article: Top 5 Airlines in the World by Sofie Yü

Recently, as they do every year, the World Airline Awards was held. 18.8 million travellers gave their vote, and as so often, the Asian airlines made it to the top of the list. Qatar airlines took the first place on the list.

We thought we would compare some of the 5 star airlines and see what you get when it comes to e.g. service, food and comfort and these are the results from Western Taste:

1. Qatar Airways, Qatar

Qatar Airways have an amazing 34” seat pitch in Economy Class as well as a 10.6” seatback TV; in Business Class they have a 15.4” seatback TV. Full-flat beds in Business Class and an award winning 5-star service cabin crew. When arriving, starting off or transferring in Doha, Qatar has the luxury of providing you as a  First Class passenger a personal pick up by a BMW 7-serie all the way to and from the airplane. On the plane you will be served a well composed 10 course meal mixed of different delicacies such as caviar, lobster, Arabian mezzas and fine chocolate. Along with your dinner you can select from different exclusive wines and champagne from Qatar’s own wine cellar. The food will differ depending on which destination and according to the passenger’s requests. E.g. on a trip to Osaka, Japan you may enjoy a meal consisting of sushi, seafood noodle soup, wagyu beef, smoked salmon, goose liver and fresh fruit.

2. Singapore Airlines, Singapore

Singapore Airlines gives you an award winning Business Class cabin where you’ll get KrisWorld AVOD IFE on long haul flights. They have a quality meal service across all cabins and on the A380 you’ll get a First Class Suite. You can wine and dine in style at your preferred time when you travel in Suites or First Class. Select your meals from their exquisite menus meticulously created by their International Culinary Panel comprising highly praised chefs from around the globe. A classic favourite on the menu is their famous Satay, a local delight of skewered slices of chicken, mutton or beef. Each satay dish is grilled to perfection and served with a tantalizing peanut sauce, along with some fresh cucumbers and onions. Of course Singapore Airlines offer you a wide selection of wines which includes e.g. Dom Perignon and Krüg Champagnes. They also provide travellers on Japan flights the traditional Kyo-Kaiseki service which originates from the 1500s as a meal preceding the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. The Kaiseki has evolved into an art form cleverly balancing visual elements and a numerous different flavours.

3. Asiana Airlines, South Korea

The South Korean airline Asiana, provides you with a award winning Economy Class cabin, and in almost all their flights they have flat-bed in First and Business Class. The seats in First Class are extra wide and spacious for maximum comfort. They also got the price for the world’s best cabin crew in 2011.
For its First Class passengers Asiana Airlines has worked in partnership with the nation’s best restaurants and experts in order to provide healthy and premium meals by the best chefs. As a step to diversify in-flight food service, their menus on the long-distance flights are developed together with La Cucina, which is Korea’s leading Italian restaurant; star chef Edward Kwon; and the Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine, which has maintained the traditions of Korea’s royal cuisine. Asiana's high-end wine selections in First Class are well composed together with top sommeliers. Fresh and elegant, high-quality champagne, XO class cognac, fine whisky, dessert wines, and a variety of other wines and beverages are offered to round off the pleasure of a great meal. In addition, the Asiana Tea Garden service, which offers environmentally friendly coffee (Rainforest Alliance), and selected teas, will satisfy the individual preferences of their customers.

4. Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong, China

Cathay Pacific has an award winning First Class seat, flat-bed Business Class seat in all their flights and they also have premium arrival lounges in HKG for Premium Class passengers. One of the highlights awaiting every First Class passenger is a superb array of Asian and International cuisine, all freshly prepared in our state-of-the-art galley boasting rice cookers, toasters, steam ovens and fresh coffee-making facilities. Because all dishes are made to order, you can choose what you’d like to eat. Cathay is among the first airline to have a rice cooker onboard. Cathay also offers a wide range of high-end Bordeaux and Burgundy wines, such as Domaine des Malandes Chablis 2009, Château Lynch Bages 2007 & Vincent Girardin Puligny-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes 2008.

5. Hainan Airlines, China

Hainan Airlines have a 5-star First/Business Class lounge in Beijing T1, as well as an award winning cabin staff service. They have high quality meals in all cabins and they’ve won best airline in China for many years. Hainan Airlines is the first 5-star airline in mainland China. In First Class you can enjoy your flight in a luxurious seat. You have your personal privacy and space ensured with seat partitioning, and an automatic and precise control system customizes seating to each passenger's body and guarantees a comfortable in-flight experience. As the Chinese saying goes," Etiquette originates from table manners", Hainan Airlines showcases traditional Chinese cuisine with Western cuisine generously. Their In-flight gourmet restaurant offers an exquisite selection of Chinese and Western entrees and accompanying dishes. Passengers have two main course options to choose from. The menu is changed regularly to provide a variety of choices to frequent travellers. For international routes, the meal selection will be enhanced by the local culinary flavours.

We must say that these top airlines will give you a flight experience of a life time, and we must praise the Qatar Airways for having their own wine cellar on their planes.

Written by: Sofie Yü