The 2009 winner (easyJet) was pushed to 4th position behind the "Best in Europe" winner, Air Berlin, who ranked 2nd on a worldwide basis. "This is always a different category in Europe to determine, because Air Berlin is an airline we feel is best described as a 'budget' rather than pure 'low-cost' airline" said Plaisted. Whatever category terms are used, Air Berlin is clearly satisfying customers to have garnered this Best in Europe title for 2009.

Air Asia was also named as winner of the Best Low-Cost Airline Asia Award for 2009, ahead of JetStar Asia. "The title of Best Low-Cost Airline in Asia remains one of more competitively contested survey sections" said Edward Plaisted of Skytrax. "In the past few years, we have seen a yo-yo effect between Air Asia and JestStar Asia - and 2009 seems to be the time for Air Asia to celebrate this win!".

"We have recently seen Air Asia extend it's long haul operations (AirAsia X) to the UK, and it will interesting to see if they are able to not only sustain, but expand this long-haul low cost concept, without having to potentially transform their offerings on these routes to something more akin to full-service airlines" added Edward Plaisted. "Of course, one only needs to look at the moves by some supposed US full service airlines, charging for drinks, blankets, headsets etc, and there is in some areas little difference between their service format and the Air Asia long haul operations".

SURVEY DETAILS

The Worlds Best Low-Cost Airline Survey is commissioned and conducted by Skytrax Research of London. No outside sponsorship or external influence is applied to any aspect of the Survey.

More than 97 different nationalities of passenger took part in this major, global survey which was operated between August 2008 and March 2009.

A total of 4,705,617 eligible survey interviews were completed for this worldwide 2008/9 survey of low-cost airlines.


The Worlds Best Low-Cost Airline Survey data was gathered using a range of input sources:

  Online Customer Survey
  Business Research Group Interviews
  Customer Telephone Interviews
  Selected Passenger Interviews



Additional research comprised back-up interviews, amongst a random, representative sample of Survey respondents. This research was to both verify survey interviews, and to gain respondent reasons for specific airline nominations.

The winners of 2009 Skytrax World Airline Awards include Aegean Airlines, Air Arabia, Air Berlin, Air New Zealand, Air Tahiti Nui, AirAsia, Asiana Airlines, Bangkok Airways, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Southern Airlines, Continental Airlines, CSA Czech Airlines, easyJet, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Finnair, Jet Airways, jetBlue Airways, JetStar Airways, Kingfisher Airlines, Kingfisher Red, Kulula.com, LAN Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Porter Airlines, Qantas Airways, Qatar Airways, SilkAir, Singapore Airlines, Skymark Airlines, South African Airways, Spring Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, TACA, Thai Airways, Transero Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Virgin America, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Volaris, Webjet, Wizz Air