Qantas and Jetstar have been named the two leading airlines in the Australia-Pacific region in the 2014 Skytrax World Airline Awards.
Qantas was awarded Best Airline Australia-Pacific for the second year in a row and Jetstar Airways awarded Best Low Cost Airline Australia-Pacific. Qantas also received the accolade for the Best Premium Economy Class Catering.
Qantas ranked 11th out of the top 100 airlines in the world and in addition to its category win, placed in the top ten airlines in a majority of categories including Best Airline Inflight Entertainment (4th), Best Business Airline Lounges (4th) and Best Airline Business Class (6th). Jetstar was voted the number four low cost carrier in the world.
Qantas Group Executive, Brand, Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Olivia Wirth said the awards – judged by over 18 million passengers from more than 100 countries – confirmed that Qantas customers were experiencing some of the world’s best travel experiences.
“For Qantas to be recognised as the best in the Australia-Pacific reflects our ongoing commitment to our customers, through new lounges, new technology and investment in our inflight product,” said Ms Wirth. “It’s especially satisfying for Qantas to be named the clear leader in the Australia-Pacific, given the level of competition in the region.”
“These awards are also a credit to our dedicated people, who work tirelessly to creating superior experiences for our customers, whether travelling for business or leisure”, Ms Wirth added.
Jetstar Airways was voted Best Low Cost Airline Australia-Pacific for the fourth consecutive year and Jetstar Group CEO Jayne Hrdlicka said theairline was delighted to once again be recognised by thousands of customers across Australia-Pacific as the region’s leading low fares carrier.
“We have invested in technology, product and our delivery to improve and enhance the customer experience,” Ms Hrdlicka said.
“Innovation has always been at the core of our strategy and will continue to be a key driver of customer satisfaction as we enter our second decade in the skies,” Ms Hrdlicka said
“During the past 12 months, we’ve set a new standard for long haul low fares with the introduction of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to our fleet.”
Some of the key customer service-related improvements delivered by Qantas in the past 12 months include: new lounges in both Hong Kong and Los Angeles, ongoing enhancements to menus and wine lists, a new range of luxury spa treatments and products by Aurora Spa and upgraded iPhone app. By the end of this year, the first of the airline’s refurbished A330s will enter service. Last year, Qantas extended its Select on Q-Eat service to Premium Economy, enabling customers to order their meal online prior to flying, offering more choice, including an additional dish available as an online exclusive on select routes.
In Australia, Jetstar dispatched more than 82 per cent of its flights as scheduled for the six month period ended May 2014*, representing an eight percentage point improvement on the corresponding period last year. Across the Tasman, Jetstar has claimed the mantle of New Zealand’s most punctual airline having beaten its domestic competitor for on time departures in 10 of the past 12 months**.
oneworld, of which Qantas is a founding member, was named the World’s Best Airline Alliance by Skytrax also for the second year running.
Recent customer and industry awards for Qantas and Jetstar
Qantas
- TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards Best Airline in Australia (2014)
- The World of Fine Wine Magazine – Best Airline Wine List in a review of over 4,000 restaurants around the globe (2014)
- International Design Awards – Qantas Singapore Lounge awarded first place in the “Interior Design-Other” category (2014)
- AirlineRatings.com Best Economy and Best Lounge offerings in a review of more than 450 international airlines (2014)
- Wotif.com survey named Qantas as the preferred airline for Australians (2014)
- One of the world’s most recognisable companies in the Reputation Institute and Forbes magazine’s annual survey (2014)
- Skytrax World Airline Awards Best Airline – Australia/Pacific (2013)
Jetstar
- AirlineRatings.com Best Low-Cost Carrier in the Asia Pacific (2014)
- Skytrax World Airline Awards Best Low-Cost Airline – Australia/Pacific (2013, 2012 and 2011)
* Statistics based on Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development’s Airline On Time Performance Monthly Reports.
** Jetstar domestic flights departing within 10 minutes of schedule compared with Air New Zealand domestic 10 minute OTP results published monthly to the New Zealand Stock Exchange.