SINGAPORE: An annual ranking of the world’s best airlines was published earlier this month, showing Japan Airlines coming in first, followed by Singapore Airlines.
The 2023 Airline Index from Bounce, a luggage storage company, collected data from 60 airlines from around the globe, judging each according to the following categories: meals, inflight entertainment, seat comfort, and staff service ratings, which are taken from Skytrax.com, as well as on-time arrivals, percentage of cancellations, total number of flights, free carry-on allowance, free checked domestic allowance, and free checked international allowance.
Topping the list of highest-ranked international airlines
Japan Airlines and Singapore Airlines received a score of 8.28 and 7.63 respectively, followed by Qatar Airways (7.5), Korean Air (7.19) and Vistara (6.43), which calls itself India’s best airline.
The carriers from Japan and Singapore tied when it came to meals, in-flight entertainment, seat comfort and staff service. However, Japan Airlines has more on-time arrivals and a higher volume of flights, as well as more generous free allowances for carry-on and checked-in baggage. Japan Airlines allows 10 kilos of carry-on baggage plus 46 kilos of checked-in baggage, while Singapore Airlines only allows 7 kilos and 30 kilos for carry-on and checked-in baggage respectively.
Singapore Airlines has a lower percentage of cancelled flights (0.3 per cent) than Japan Airlines (1.56 per cent), however.
“Singapore Airlines operates flights to more than 70 cities in over 30 countries worldwide. While the airline boasts fantastic coverage of Southern and Eastern Asia, you can take a Singapore Airlines flight to destinations all around the globe, from Sydney, Australia, to Cairo, Egypt, or even Cape Town, South Africa,” the Index reads.
In 2022, Singapore Airlines ranked first and Japan Airlines ranked second.
At the other end of the scale, Wings Air, Lion Air, and Jetstar Airways are the lowest-ranked international airlines on this year’s Index.
Wings Air, which operates out of Jakarta, Indonesia, received a score of 0.37. It has the the lowest on-time arrival rate at 47.69 per cent, and the second-highest cancellation rate at 15.91 per cent.
The airline also does not give its economy passengers a free checked baggage allowance, and scored poorly for in-flight entertainment and staff service.
Lion Air, which is also based in Jakarta, received a score of 0.61, and Jetstar Airways, which operates out of Melbourne, Australia, received a score of 0.93.
/TISG