Air New Zealand Premium Economy Spaceseat

We all know flying can be stressful. Long hours on a cramped aircraft with uncomfortable seats, mediocre food, lackluster entertainment options and substandard service can be a deterrent for many travelers. Luckily, there are a few airlines that make it a pleasure, rather than a chore, to fly.

Airlineratings.com has announced its top ten airlines for 2017 as well as the winners of the Airline Excellence Awards, which recognize the top carriers in categories such as Best Business Class, Best Catering and Best Lounges. The ratings are based on a combination of factors, including service, innovation and staff engagement.

The award for Best First Class went to Etihad Airways, which won for the third consecutive year. In a surprise win, Virgin Australia took the trophy for Best Business Class with its new “The Business” suite, which the ratings site calls “more first class than business class.” Best Economy Class went to Singapore Airlines.

Number one on the top ten rankings is Air New Zealand, which Airlineratings.com also named Airline of the Year for the fourth year in a row. The carrier was lauded for its modern fleet and industry-leading focus on environmentally friendly practices. Geoffrey Thomas, editor-in-chief of Airlineratings.com, said, “In our objective analysis Air New Zealand came out number one in virtually all of our audit criteria, which is an exceptional performance.”

The runner-up is Australia’s Qantas, which jumped from 4th to 2nd in this year’s rankings. Qantas has made a notable turnaround; according to the ratings site, its customer approval rating is currently at an all-time high. Rounding out the top three is Singapore Airlines, which has long been known for its excellent service. Over the past year, the airline has debuted impressive new premium economy and business class sections.

World’s Top 10 Airlines

1. Air New Zealand
2. Qantas
3. Singapore Airlines
4. Cathay Pacific Airways
5. Virgin Australia and Virgin Atlantic
6. British Airways
7. Etihad Airways
8. All Nippon Airways
9. EVA Air
10. Lufthansa

Airline Excellence Awards

 Airline of the Year  Air New Zealand
 Best First Class  Etihad Airways
 Best Business Class Virgin Australia
 Best Premium Economy  Air New Zealand
 Best Economy  Singapore Airlines
 Best Cabin Crew  Virgin Australia, Virgin Atlantic and Virgin America
 Best Catering  Qantas
 Best Lounges  Qantas
 Best In-Flight Entertainment  Emirates
 Best Low-Cost Airline  Virgin America, Scoot, Kulula.com and Norwegian

For a complete list of winners, click here.

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