Connect with us

Travel

African aviation industry fails to impress in Forbes’ 2024 inaugural luxury air travel awards

Published

2 weeks ago

on

African aviation industry fails to impress in Forbes’ 2024 inaugural luxury air travel awards

Forbes said the awards rely on the proficiency of its 66-year-old Star Ratings system (which relies on incognito inspections by expert inspectors to determine the annual ratings of hotels, restaurants, spas and ocean cruise ships).

Unfortunately, in all the 22 award categories mentioned, no African aviation stakeholder made it. The awards ranged from the Best International Airline, Best U.S. Airline, Best International Airport, Best In-Flight Cocktail Lounge to Best Airline App.

African airlines have however, made their marks globally as seen in the last Skytrax awards where airlines from the continent demonstrated a commendable performance.

The Skytrax awards which assessed how stakeholders in the aviation industry performed between September 2023 and May 2024, evaluated over 325 airlines customers of over 100 different nationalities.

Luxurious private jet interior

The 22 award categories recognize and celebrate the visual appeal and design of airports, including the initial impression that passengers form when entering the terminal building, whether it’s a private or public airport.

Forbes describes it this way “Before you check into a stunning hotel or explore a new city, chances are your travels will begin at the airport. And the journey is just as important as the destination”

The global ranking body revealed that Forbes Travel Guide’s (FTG) air travel experts toured the globe to come up with a list of nominees. Also, an invitation-only survey team of 5,000 of the most well-traveled people in the hospitality industry, including luxury travel advisors and FTG’s most frequent fliers sourced and picked the list of the Verified Air Travel Award winners.

“Too many travel industry awards are the result of a somewhat suspect popularity contest. The Verified Air Travel Awards are important because the metrics are based on real-world experience and real-world accountability,” says Peter Greenberg, Emmy Award-winning travel journalist and host of Eye on Travel on CBS Radio.

The winners of the 2024 Forbes Travel Guide Verified Air Travel Awards are highlighted below:

S/N Award Winner Location

1

Best International Airline

Emirates

Dubai

2

Best U.S. Airline

Delta Air Lines

US

3

Best Small Airline

La Compagnie

Paris

4

Best Jet

NetJets

US

5

Best International Airport

Singapore Changi Airport

Singapore

6

Best U.S. Airport

LaGuardia Airport

US

7

Best First Class

Emirates

Dubai

8

Best International Business Class

Qatar Airways

Qatar

9

Best Domestic Business Class

Delta Air Lines

US

10

Best Independent Airport Lounge

Louis Vuitton Lounge by Yannick Alléno, Hamad International Airport

Qatar

11

Best U.S. Airline Lounge

Delta One, John F. Kennedy International Airport

US

12

Best International Airline Lounge

Emirates First Class Lounge, Dubai

Dubai

13

Best Airport Dining

Dubai International Airport

Dubai

14

Best Wine List

Air France

France

15

Best Culinary Program

Emirates

Dubai

16

Innovation of the Year

Transportation Security Administration (for implementing facial recognition at major U.S. airports)

US

17

Best Airport Design

Singapore Changi Airport

Singapore

18

Best Loyalty Program

Delta Air Lines SkyMiles

US

19

Best In-Flight Cocktail Lounge

Emirates

Dubai

20

Best Private Airport Experience

Heathrow VIP

UK

21

Best Airport Wellness Experience

Jewel Changi Airport (for the Forest Valley and Rain Vortex gardens)

Singapore

22

Best Airline App

Delta Air Lines

US

The major winners include the US with eight awards, Dubai carted away six awards, while Qatar, Singapore and France took home two awards each.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading