World’s best airline named as Qantas hits new low in rankings

Qatar Airways has been named the world’s best airline for 2024 at the World Airline Awards, taking the title from last year’s winner Singapore Airlines.

Meanwhile, Qantas continued to fall in the rankings, dropping to number 24 from 17th place last year.

It’s a new low for the airline, which had previously climbed as high as No.4 on the list and was ranked the world’s 5th best airline as recently as 2022.

The results were also bad for Virgin Australia, which fell from 46th to 54th place in the top 100, while Jetstar fell from 69 to 74.

The only Australian airline to improve its standing was Rex, which climbed six spots to 50th position.

Qantas won five awards at the event – announced on Monday at Fairmont Windsor Park, near London’s Heathrow Airport – but all were for airlines based in the Australia/Pacific region. Awards included best catering, best business class and best premium economy for the Australia/Pacific.

Qatar Airways won the title of world’s best for the eighth time in the awards’ 25-year history. The Middle Eastern airline also won the awards for best business class, the best business class lounge and the best airline in the Middle East.

Singapore Airlines came second, followed by Emirates, Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Cathay Pacific. As usual, Asian and Middle Eastern airlines dominated the top of the rankings, though Turkish Airlines, which recently launched its first Australian routes, Air France and Swiss also made the top 10.