WHAT MAKES A 5-STAR AIRLINE ? With Airline Ranking reviews in constant progress, we receive numerous enquiries asking why one particular airline deserves a 5-star ranking - and for other Star rating categories. The question is poignant when one views the ranking for the airlines, and realise that no single airline achieves the highest tier levels for "every" section of front-line product and service standards.

Are "straight" 5's are required ?

No. Were that the case, we would effectively not be able to create a 5-Star listing within the industry.

There are some airlines with excellent Premium product and service standards - others with higher quality Economy cabin standards, but these do not necessarily deliver a straight set of 5 Star rankings - we are focussed entirely upon achieving a "balanced" analysis that reflects the airline as a whole.

There are some airlines where product levels may not always reach 5 Star status - but their staff service quality is at (almost above) the 5-Star level. It is by taking a balanced cross-section analysis that we can determine the airlines which we believe warrant the coveted 5-Star airline title.

It has to be remembered that Skytrax reputation is "on the line" in terms of ensuring that every airline which is awarded 5-Star status is able to deliver and meet these very high quality expectations for the very large majority (if not all) of their customers.

Is every ranking item shown ?

No. We show online some "key" points used for an airline's Star Ranking, and use these to illustrate that airline's Star Ranking page.

The detailed Ranking Agenda covers hundreds of different areas of product and service, and the results of each Ranking is only available to the individual airlines.

What about the nationality bias ?

This is not an issue, although there will always be some who insist that one nationality achieves better service quality standards than others.

In particular, we find that some US citizens are critical of lower rankings applied to American carriers, and appear to have a much higher perception of their countries airline standards when contrasted with say a European or Asian passenger.

When Skytrax assess service and product quality, the first approach is centred on the "international" style applied - and this is then tempered with the way other nationalities are handled - for example, how an Arabic customer with different expectations to say a Texan passenger, will perceive the final standards of product and service delivered.

There can be great strength in retaining the "national" identity and core values for each airline - but only if this is retained in such a way that a truly international, and more tolerant approach can be applied.

Will Skytrax extend the Star classification beyond 5-Star ranking ?

No, very categorically not.

We have watched with some amusement as some hotels around the world decided to apply the titles of 6 and 7-Star hotel classification. Not only does this serve to confuse customers about the true quality status, it has to also be noted that it was these very same establishments that awarded "themselves" these new, higher and largely hypothetical star categories !

 

  What makes a 5 Star Airline

  The 6-Star Airline Ranking

  Low-Cost Airline Rankings

  What the Star Ratings represent