Latest news with #WorldAirlineAwards
Time Out
2 days ago
- Business
- Time Out
Huge news: Airlines will no longer be allowed to charge for hand luggage in Europe
We've all been there – you think you've found a decently priced budget flight to a European destination, only to be hit with a huge fee for your hand luggage. Well, it looks like those days are numbered, as lawmakers have just voted to scrap hand luggage fees on airlines across the European Union. The proposal will allow holidaymakers to travel with carry-on luggage up to 7 kilograms with no extra fee – and that's on top of your under-the-seat backpack, too. According to the European Parliament's press release, vice-president of the EU Committee on Transport and Tourism Matteo Ricci said the move 'marks an important step toward fairer and more transparent travel' and will 'introduce concrete measures such as the clear definition of free hand luggage up to a maximum size of 100cm, a fundamental right to avoid unjustified extra costs.' Obviously, this is a massive win for travellers, but not everyone's happy about it. It's expected to hit low-cost airlines particularly hard – Ryanair, for example, made €4.7 billion last year from charging extra fees like seat selection and baggage costs. While airline lobbies have warned that the ruling could mean carriers will end up increasing their ticket prices to make up for the costs, the ruling is part of wider reforms proposed by the European Parliament on passenger rights. Further measures include allowing children under 12 to sit with their accompanying passenger free of charge, granting free seats to carers of people with reduced mobility, and forcing airlines to disclose the full cost of flights upfront. All in all, this is very good news for passengers. It's not clear when the ruling will kick in, as the proposals still need to get the final green light in a parliamentary vote. Keep an eye on this page for further details. Our travel news hub has all the latest on air travel news, from the Qatar airspace closure this week to airline and airport strikes across Europe and the winners of the latest World Airline Awards.
TimesLIVE
2 days ago
- Business
- TimesLIVE
SAA ranked 4th-best airline in Africa as it works to overcome turbulent past
South African Airways (SAA) has been ranked the fourth-best airline in Africa in the 2025 World Airline Awards, marking a significant achievement for the national carrier amid a challenging history. In the global rankings SAA moved up two spots from 69th in 2024 to 67th in 2025 out of more than 325 airlines evaluated. In recent years, SAA has grappled with allegations of corruption, mismanagement and state capture. The prestigious awards, often dubbed the 'Oscars of the aviation industry', were announced during a gala ceremony on June 17 at the Paris Air Show, held at the iconic Hall of Eight Columns at Le Bourget Airport's Air and Space Museum. Ethiopian Airlines took the top spot as Africa's best airline, followed by Air Mauritius and RwandAir. Other South African carriers making the continent's top ten included Flysafair in eighth place and LIFT in ninth. Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax, which organises the awards, commented on the strength of returning and emerging contenders. 'We welcomed back a large number of previous winners and were also delighted to see new faces and airlines represented. As is indicated by so many former winning airlines being present, quality and consistency is clearly well recognised by customers when they vote for these airlines.' said Plaisted. Qatar Airways group CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer beamed with pride after Qatar Airway was crowned the World's Best Airline for the ninth time. 'This is an extraordinary honour. This recognition is far more than an award it is a celebration of the passion, precision and purpose that defines who we are as an airline.' Al-Meer said the recognition reflects the airline's leadership across multiple categories, including the World's Best Business Class, Best Business Class Airline Lounge and Best Airline in the Middle East. Singapore Airlines took second place, Cathay Pacific third, Emirates fourth and ANA All Nippon Airways secured the fifth spot. Additional accolades from the 2025 awards included:
Time Out
4 days ago
- Business
- Time Out
Cathay Pacific has been named the third best airline in the world
The 2025 World Airline Awards recently took place at the Paris Air Show, and Hong Kong's air carriers have done us proud. Out of more than 325 global airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways has been ranked third in the world's top airlines of 2025. This year, our city's flag carrier has risen up the ranks from fifth spot in 2024 – and was also crowned first place for the World's Best Airline Inflight Entertainment and the World's Best Economy Class. Additionally, Cathay also won third place for the World's Best Cabin Crew, the World's Best Business Class, and the World's Cleanest Airlines. Basically, we have an amazing economy class and entertainment for the everyman, as well as a top-notch business class, all tended by friendly and attentive crew members, within some of the world's cleanest planes. Sounds like a great deal. Apart from Cathay, some of our other flight carriers also did well at the awards. Hong Kong Airlines ranks at number eight for the World's Best Regional Airlines, while HK Express ranks at number three on the list of the World's Most Improved Airlines. On the World's Top 20 Airlines in 2025 list, Qatar Airways was crowned number one, followed by Singapore Airlines, a carrier which had previously won the top slot five times – these two airlines have been consistently jostling for number one and two on this list since 2017. Cathay Pacific, Emirates, and ANA All Nippon Airways round off the top five airlines of this year. Widely regarded as the 'Oscars of the aviation industry', the World Airline Awards is an independent and impartial ranking organised by airline and travel research consultancy Skytrax, and has been running since 1999. View the full rankings and categories on the official website.
Time Out
6 days ago
- Business
- Time Out
These four Australian airlines have been ranked among the world's best for 2025
If you're anything like me, picking flights comes down to a combination of affordability and dodging those with a sketchy track record. Some travellers are all about loyalty programs and racking up those sweet points, while others dive deep into the stats on legroom, punctuality and cleanliness. But if you really want to choose the best airline, you should turn to the opinions of actual customers. That's exactly how Skytrax determines the winners of its annual World Airline Awards, which have just been announced for 2025. Each year, they gather customer satisfaction insights from travellers in 100 countries, covering more than 350 different airlines. From this, they produce a prestigious global ranking of the world's best operators, along with regional top ten lists. So, Aussie frequent flyers – listen up. In 2025, Qantas Airways reclaimed its title as the best airline in the Australia-Pacific region, overtaking last year's winner, Fiji Airways. On the global stage, Qantas soared from 24th place in 2024 to be named the 14th best airline in the world for 2025. It also ranked first in the region across all cabin classes: best economy, premium economy (9th globally), business (13th globally) and first class (11th globally). To top it off, Qantas was named the cleanest airline in the region (18th globally), and earned accolades for best onboard catering and best cabin crew (19th globally). Virgin Australia is also flying high on the global charts, climbing from 43rd place last year to be named the 34th best airline in the world right now. It's Australia's second-highest-performing airline and ranks fourth across the Australia-Pacific region. But it really took off in the best regional airline category – snagging first place in Australia and coming second worldwide, just behind Bangkok Airways. Virgin Australia also ranked as the region's most family-friendly airline and had the highest-rated airline staff in the country. Australia's top budget airline, Jetstar, slipped slightly from 75th to 88th place globally. However, it held strong in the best low-cost airlines category, ranking 20th overall. Meanwhile, QantasLink – the regional brand of Qantas – propelled into the global top 100, landing in 97th place for 2025. You can check out the full global rankings here, or see a snapshot of our region below. These are the best airlines in the Australia-Pacific region for 2025 Qantas Airways (14th globally) Air New Zealand Fiji Airways Virgin Australia (34th globally) Jetstar Airways (88th globally) QantasLink (97th globally) Air Tahiti Nui Air Tahiti Air Niugini Aircalin Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Australia newsletter for more news, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. ✈️ 😱 A record-breaking flight is set to take off from Australia soon 🏯
Business Insider
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Best regional airlines in Africa in 2025, according to latest ranking
While long-haul giants like Emirates and Qatar Airways often steal the spotlight, it's the regional airlines that keep continents truly connected, especially in Africa, where local carriers bridge gaps between major cities, remote towns, and fast-growing economic hubs. Business Insider Africa presents the best regional airlines in Africa in 2025, according to latest ranking. The list is courtesy of Skytrax. RwandAir took the top spot, earning the title of Best Regional Airline in Africa. While long-haul giants like Emirates and Qatar Airways often steal the spotlight, it's the regional airlines that keep continents truly connected, especially in Africa, where local carriers bridge gaps between major cities, remote towns, and fast-growing economic hubs. In a continent where geography and infrastructure can challenge even the most seasoned traveller, regional airlines play a vital role in unlocking mobility, trade, and tourism. At the 2025 World Airline Awards, Skytrax once again honoured the best in global aviation, based on votes from millions of passengers across more than 100 nationalities. And regarding regional excellence in Africa, RwandAir took the top spot, earning the title of Best Regional Airline in Africa. With its hub in Kigali, RwandAir has built a reputation for reliability, safety, and customer service, steadily expanding its reach across East, Central, and Southern Africa. Its commitment to modern fleets and punctual service has made it a favourite among travellers navigating regional routes. Meanwhile, Ethiopian Airlines continues to lead the pack overall, securing the title of Best Airline in Africa for the seventh straight year. While it's no longer just a regional player, thanks to its intercontinental network, its domestic and intra-African routes remain among the continent's most efficient and extensive. Air Mauritius, another standout, climbed second in the Skytrax Africa rankings, recognized for its strong service quality and connections linking the island nation to mainland Africa, Asia, and Europe. With customer satisfaction at the heart of the Skytrax rankings, Africa's regional airlines are proving they can deliver world-class service, even without flying across oceans. Below are the best regional airlines in Africa in 2025, according to latest ranking Rank Airline 1 RwandAir 2 Royal Air Maroc 3 Airlink 4 Nile Air 5 Tunisair 6 LAM Mozambique Airlines 7 Air Senegal 8 Uganda Airlines 9 Air Botswana 10 ASKY Airlines
