Skytrax World Airline Awards 2013: Thai drops from 9th to 15th place

[bubba]

The prestigious Skytrax World Airline Awards for 2013 has just been released. Being a very frequent flyer on Thai Airways, it's little surprise that TG fell six places to 15th place, which appears to be the most significant drop of any airline. I am wondering whether TG will continue their slide to disappear from the top twenty in the 2014 awards.

Emirates rose from 8th to 1st place. Having switched from Thai to Emirates for trips to Dubai, I think I can see why. Emirates are in a completely different class, and amazingly, their business class fares are cheaper than Thai, at least from when I last checked.

http://www.worldairlineawards.com/Awards_2013/Airline2013_top20.htm

[uptheos]

You still won't convince the Thai's that it's not the world's best airline and that's why it's so expensive.

[Issangeorge]

Where are they taking the survey? There are two Australian, two Europian, one NewZealand, and one Canadian, all the rest are Asian Airlines.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[uptheos]

Yet Emirates is NOT one of Skytrax 5 star airlines.

http://www.airlinequality.com/StarRanking/5star.htm

[Upnotover]

Where are they taking the survey? There are two Australian, two Europian, one NewZealand, and one Canadian, all the rest are Asian Airlines.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Asian?

[bubba]

Where are they taking the survey? There are two Australian, two Europian, one NewZealand, and one Canadian, all the rest are Asian Airlines.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Skytrax is a worldwide survey conducted of frequent flyers, and arguably the most recognised.

As you said, there are Asian, Australian, Europian [sic], Australian, Canadian and New Zealand airlines. Does that mean you were surprised that there were no African or American airlines making the cut?

[Felt 35]

What about the most (should be) important factor, safety!

[GrantSmith]

bubba,

As yourself - being a frequent flyer - you might find the below link of some interest with regards to the great and powerful "Skytrax"

http://www.asa.org.uk/Rulings/Adjudications/2012/11/Skytrax-Research/SHP_ADJ_196416.aspx

[smokie36]

Yet Emirates is NOT one of Skytrax 5 star airlines.

 

http://www.airlinequality.com/StarRanking/5star.htm

Mainly cos of the crap food onboard.

Everything else is five star imho.

[RabC]

Yet Emirates is NOT one of Skytrax 5 star airlines.

http://www.airlinequality.com/StarRanking/5star.htm

Mainly cos of the crap food onboard.

Everything else is five star imho.

Smokey I still have issues with their Business Class, for example flying to LHR I may well get a nice lie flat single seat on an A380 or be stuck in the middle of 3 on a 777. I am afraid as long as there is a chance of 3 abreast in Business, I will not use them or any other airline that does this. The thing is the price is the same no matter which quality of aircraft, At least SQ mark their A380 Suites as something different and charge more than for traditional 1st Class.

[theblether]

Yet Emirates is NOT one of Skytrax 5 star airlines.

http://www.airlinequality.com/StarRanking/5star.htm

Mainly cos of the crap food onboard.

Everything else is five star imho.

Smokey I still have issues with their Business Class, for example flying to LHR I may well get a nice lie flat single seat on an A380 or be stuck in the middle of 3 on a 777. I am afraid as long as there is a chance of 3 abreast in Business, I will not use them or any other airline that does this. The thing is the price is the same no matter which quality of aircraft, At least SQ mark their A380 Suites as something different and charge more than for traditional 1st Class.

You can state a seat preference Rab, you're a frequent flier, you'd be up into Gold in no time and the new Platinum tier is outstanding, have a look at it.

[RabC]

Yet Emirates is NOT one of Skytrax 5 star airlines.

http://www.airlinequality.com/StarRanking/5star.htm

Mainly cos of the crap food onboard.

Everything else is five star imho.

Smokey I still have issues with their Business Class, for example flying to LHR I may well get a nice lie flat single seat on an A380 or be stuck in the middle of 3 on a 777. I am afraid as long as there is a chance of 3 abreast in Business, I will not use them or any other airline that does this. The thing is the price is the same no matter which quality of aircraft, At least SQ mark their A380 Suites as something different and charge more than for traditional 1st Class.

You can state a seat preference Rab, you're a frequent flier, you'd be up into Gold in no time and the new Platinum tier is outstanding, have a look at it.

So much of my flying is last minute I will not risk it. Also prefer direct from BKK to Europe.

[theblether]

Fair point, but still have a look at the Platinum programme, I think it will get you thinking.

[bubba]

Yet Emirates is NOT one of Skytrax 5 star airlines.

http://www.airlinequality.com/StarRanking/5star.htm

Mainly cos of the crap food onboard.

Everything else is five star imho.

I would have to admit that I have only flown business class on Emirates, but I thought the food was excellent. You can even mix and match your main, and it's all served to you properly on a china plate. That's quite different from Thai's main course, which is a greasy mess all heated up served together in a porcelain dish. Actually, there is little difference between the main served in business class and the one served in economy on Thai. Only the starter is substantially different. Absolutely no comparison.

[bubba]

Yet Emirates is NOT one of Skytrax 5 star airlines.

http://www.airlinequality.com/StarRanking/5star.htm

Mainly cos of the crap food onboard.

Everything else is five star imho.

Smokey I still have issues with their Business Class, for example flying to LHR I may well get a nice lie flat single seat on an A380 or be stuck in the middle of 3 on a 777. I am afraid as long as there is a chance of 3 abreast in Business, I will not use them or any other airline that does this. The thing is the price is the same no matter which quality of aircraft, At least SQ mark their A380 Suites as something different and charge more than for traditional 1st Class.

Have to agree with you completely on that one. The business and first class seat products on Emirates vary from old style, sloping lay flat seats (and the dreaded slippery slope all night when you are trying to sleep), to some of the best business class seats in the air. You really have to pick your aircraft carefully if you want good seats. Interestingly, the old first class seats on Emirates are nearly identical to the new business class seats. Emirates really need to do something about the variability of their seats across different aircraft. BTW, there are two morning departures within about 30 minutes of one another from Dubai to Bangkok, both 777s. One has the old business class seats, and one has the new ones. Both have the same fare. Choose your flights wisely!

But one more positive point regarding Emirates: they seem to have an unwritten upgrade policy for gold and platinum members. I get upgraded from business to first about 25% of the time with an EK gold card, even when business class isn't full. Once, I was plucked from a half-full A380 business class cabin and led to a seat in first. I have TG ROP gold as well and fly them a lot (only because I have to!) and I probably get one unexpected upgrade per year. That's because economy is overbooked, business is full, and they start bumping people up from economy into business. It seems that Emirates do some sort of occasional, random upgrades at the gate, or even on the aircraft, and that really is a decent bonus.

[bubba]

What about the most (should be) important factor, safety!

Airline safety ratings. Finnair are ranked tops in safety. TG come in at #53.

[cigar7]

Skytrax results are no longer reliable. That Canadian airline in the top 5 should be about 50th, based on personal experience.

[GrantSmith]

Skytrax results are no longer reliable. That Canadian airline in the top 5 should be about 50th, based on personal experience.

Umm.. What Canadian airline in the top 5?

[bubba]

Sorry, I'm not seeing any North American airlines in the list.

Skytrax Top Ten Alrines - 2013

1 Emirates
2 Qatar Airways
3 Singapore Airlines
4 ANA All Nippon Airways
5 Asiana Airlines
6 Cathay Pacific Airways
7 Etihad Airways
8 Garuda Indonesia
9 Turkish Airlines
10 Qantas Airways

[bubba]

Here is a photo of the western breakfast selection at the Thai Airways business class lounge this morning. I wonder if this is a possible indicator of TG's fall in poll rankings.

So, it's a hard-boiled egg and some sort of processed ham food product floating in water and grease. Bon appetit!