Best airlines and cabins: a comparison of World Travel Awards and Skytrax awards

The week just past was the week in which they were awarded the World Travel Awardss, among the best known and most influential awards to the tourism industry. Including, of course, commercial air transportation. WTAs have the distinction of not awarding the 'best company in the world,' but only give awards on a regional basis, with a curious peculiarity: the absence of the African continent.

The Flight Club had fun comparing the awards given by geographic area and those by best class of service with those given by Skytrax, which limited to the world of commercial aviation is considered the most prestigious and recognized rating company. Discovering some coincidences but also many differences.

WTA vs. Skytrax: the best companies

In Europe, i WTA have crowned Air France best airline, where Skytrax singled out Turkish Airlines (but with Air France still second). In Asia, the WTAs awarded Singapore Airlines, and so did Skytrax.

Among North American airlines, the winner at the WTAs was Air Canada, while Skytrax awarded Delta Airlines (but with Air Canada second). In South America, the WTA crown went to Chilean-Brazilian Latam Airlines, which is also the best according to Skytrax. In Central America, the best is Aeromexico according to WTA and Copa Airlines of Panama according to Skytrax. In the Caribbean area, WTA saw Bahamasair triumph, while Skytrax saw Caribbean Airlines (based in Trinidad & Tobago) prevail. Finally, in Oceania, the triumphant at the WTAs was Air New Zealand, while Skytrax put Fiji Airlines at the top of all.

The best cabins in Europe according to WTA

Turning to classes of service by geographic area, in Europe Air France has the best first class both according to WTA and Skytrax; the best Business is Lufthansa's according to the WTAs and that of Virgin Atlantic instead, according to Skytrax; interestingly, the WTAs did not name Europe's best premium economy (despite the fact that almost all the continent's major airlines have one on their long-haul planes), a title that according to Skytrax belongs to Virgin Atlantic; as for the Best European Economy, both the WTAs and Skytrax awarded Virgin Atlantic.

How does one prefer Lufthansa's business class (one of the worst) from that of Virgin Atlantic (one of the best) is a real mystery.

Turning to Asia, Singapore Airlines boasts the best First Class cabin according to both WTA and Skytrax. And also according to the Poodle; the best Business award went to Japan Airlines at the WTAs and Singapore Airlines at the Skytrax Awards; the best Premium Economy is Eva Air's according to both the WTA and Skytrax findings: the best Economy is Vietnam Airlines' according to the WTAs and Japan Airlines' according to Skytrax.

In North America, the title of Best First went to United Airlines at the WTAs and Hawaiian Airlines according to Skytrax; Best Business is American's according to the WTAs and Delta Airlines's according to Skytrax; The WTAs did not name a winner for Best Premium Economy in North America, while Skytrax crowned Delta's; the title of Best Economy went to American at the WTAs and Delta at the Skytrax Awards.

World Travel Awards did not cover winners for best cabins in South America, Central America, Caribbean and Oceania. While at the Skytrax Awards the title for Best First, Business and Premium Economy in Oceania went to Qantas, with Fiji Airlines winning the award for Best Economy. The British rating agency did not include Central and South American and Caribbean carriers in the top twenty by class of service.

• Skytrax