Top 10 Best Airline Companies In The World

This standard of life which we humans are enjoying today is the repercussion of the constant struggle and progress over the time. If it was not for this persistent struggle, we would have been stranded technologically and life would had been a much difficult subject for us to handle. In a similar fashion, the airline companies all over the world compete with each other to contribute towards the welfare of the society by providing more comfortable and luxurious journey then its competitor.

Let us see which airline company lies where in the tiptoptens top 10 countdown.

10. Etihad Airways

It was established in the year 2003 and started operations from November that year. It is a national airline of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates with operations of more than 1000 flights per week to 66 destinations in 44 countries. It has got a fleet of 57 aircraft. Etihad, in the year 2010, carries 7.1 million passengers as compared with 340,000 in its first full year operation of 2004. It is a dramatic improvement for an airline company. It also earns a major part of its revenue from cargo operations.

9. Fly Emirates

It is the national airline of Dubai, United Arab Emirates and it the largest airline in the middle-east operating over 2400 passenger flights per week. The three out of the world’s ten longest non-stop commercial flights are operated by this airline; Dubai to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Houston. It is the subsidiary of The Emirates Group and is one of only nine airlines to operate an all-wide-body aircraft fleet.

8. Air New Zealand

As the name suggests, it is the national airline and flag carrier of New Zealand. It operates passenger flights to 26 domestic destinations and 24 international destinations in 15 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania. Air New Zealand has got the honor to be the only airline to circumnavigate the world. It is the member of the Star Alliance and has got a fleet consisting of Boeing 747, Boeing 767, Boeing 777 and Airbus A320 aircraft. Air New Zealand originated in 1940 as Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL), a flying boat company which operated trans-Tasman flights between New Zealand and Australia.

7. Qatar Airlines

It’s headquarter is in Qatar Airways Tower, Doha and is the flag carrier of Qatar. It has got one of the youngest fleet in the world with an average of less than 4.1 years and is one of only seven airlines awarded 5-star rating by Skytrax along with Cathay Pacific, Asiana Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Hainan Airlines, and Kingfisher Airlines. Qatar Airways has got a fleet of 96 aircraft and employs more than 19,000 people, out of which 6,000 work in the airline’s subsidiaries.

6. Malaysia Airlines

It is the Government-owned flag carrier of Malaysia. It’s headquarter is in the grounds of Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang, Selangor. It has two airline subsidiaries; Firefly and MASwings. Malaysia Airlines has created a strong brand name in the aviation industry and is one of the seven airlines to be ranked as a 5-star airline by Skytrax, an independent research consultancy firm. It operates flights from its home base, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, and its eastern hub in Kota Kinabalu.

5. Asiana Airlines

It was previously called Seoul Airlines and is a South-Korean airline. The other major airline of South-Korea is Korean Air. It’s headquarter is in Asiana Town in Osoe-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul. It is ranked the best airline in Northern Asia of 2010 and also a member of Star Alliance offering 516 daily departures throughout Asia, Europe, North America, and Oceania, operating 14 domestic and 85 international passenger routes and 20 cargo routes. Asiana won the Airline of the Year Award by Skytrax for 2010 and is also a 5-star ranked airline by the Skytrax.

4. Thai Airways

It is the national flag carrier as well as the largest airline of Thailand. It’s headquarters are located in Chatuchak District, Bangkok,[2][3] and operates out of Suvarnabhumi Airport. It operates one of the longest non-stop commercial flights of Boeing 777-300 from Bangkok to Athens, and the longest non-stop commercial flight of Boeing 777-200 from Bangkok to Brisbane. It possesses a very fine first class lounge on the basis of which it was being awarded World’s Best First Class Lounge by Skytrax in 2009.

3. Qantas

Nicknamed “The Flying Kangaroo”, its name was originally “QANTAS”, an acronym for “Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services”. This airline is based in Sydney and is the world’s second oldest airline. Its headquarters are located in the Qantas Centre in the Mascot suburb of the City of Botany Bay, Sydney, New South Wales.

2. Cathay Pacific

It is the flag carrier of Hong Kong and its main office and headquarters are located at Hong Kong International Airport. An American Roy C. Farrell and Australian Sydney H. de Kantzow founded this airline on 24th September, 1946 and in 2010, Cathay Pacific became the world’s largest international cargo airline. It operates passenger and cargo services to 114 destinations in 36 countries worldwide, including codeshares and joint ventures, with a fleet of 132 wide-body aircraft, comprising of Airbus A330s and A340s, Boeing 747s and 777s. Cathay Pacific has been ranked 5-star airline by Skytrax.

1. Singapore Airlines

It is the flag carrier of Singapore and is currently the world’s largest airline. Singapore Airlines operates trans-Pacific flights, including the world’s two longest non-stop commercial flights from Singapore to Newark and Los Angeles on the Airbus A340-500 and also encompasses Southeast Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and “Kangaroo Route” markets. It is the world’s second largest airline as per the International Air Transport Association with a market capitalization worth of USD14 billion. Silkair is its subsidiary which operates at regional level. It is worth mentioning here that Singapore Airlines (SIA) has a 49% shareholding in Virgin Atlantic and also holds a stake in Tiger Airways, thus marking his presence in the low-cost carrier sector.