THE WORLD'S MOST RESPECTED AIR TRAVEL AWARDS

"the world's most respected Air Travel Awards"

"Respect cannot be bought, but has to be earned through hard work, discipline and adherence to a firm set of principles. At Skytrax this is paramount to every facet of the air travel surveys that we conduct ... and has been so since 1999 when this project began" says Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax.

We deliver total transparency of survey process, and conduct the only truly global customer study. Skytrax Awards operate on a not-for-profit basis, and our sole directive is for real airline customers to make their own, honest choices. There are travel award companies that effectively sell awards to airlines, hotels etc - indeed, the core of their business is selling awards and entrance to associated award gala ceremonies!  We will never get involved in such techniques, that not only lack objectivity but are now seen in the industry for what they really are - self serving, profit driven, pay-as-you-go airline awards!    Edward Plaisted, CEO, Skytrax

"Like most other industries today, the airline industry seems to have a different Awards ceremony or survey result every week, and for the customer this creates not only an air of confusion, but can lead to a considerable mistrust of the relative merits of an award. It was this lack of trust and clarity of survey methods that led Skytrax to establish the World Airline Survey back in 1999 - a totally customer based survey about airline standards that provided a global reach."

"At Skytrax, we derive amusement from many survey results we see published .... not only for the apparent complete contravention with market trends, but their complete lack of openness about survey methodology, and a reluctance to offer the supporting information and evidence that makes a survey trustworthy" added Plaisted.

There are also surveys out there that falsely proclaim the title of World in their description, which are actually very regionally restricted. Worse than that, there are surveys that invite you to nominate Best Airlines for different global regions and then limit the choices available for you to select from - linked one must assume to a financial relationship with featured airlines! An example is one study that asks respondents to select a Best Airline in a region, and then presents just a fixed choice of 9-10 airlines to choose from.

Peter Miller (Director Marketing at Skytrax) points out that "many of these other surveys are financially self-serving, with no stated methodology, no assurance of independence, and are geared totally towards making profits from selling tickets to an Awards ceremony! We make it a central mission of all Skytrax studies to ensure that no hypocracy or profiteering can ever occur .... we have an old-fashioned belief that respect and recognition should be earned, and that in time the profit-only cowboys will disappear from the market".

 

Which awards should be taken seriously? 

"Those based on reader polls or hosted by small publications and websites have less credibility.  An exception - polls run by Skytrax. Its large sample of voters is widely viewed as a plus. Skytrax awards - covering airlines, airports and airport hotels - are highly prized in the travel industry.  With awards, it seems, importance depends very much on who's handing them out."
The Age - Australia