Page 9 - AAA MARCH - APRIL 2015 Online Magazine

FEATURE AVIATION BUSINESS

however, MAS was behind Etihad
Airways that grabbed the 15th spot, while
Singapore Airlines ranked number four
with a score of 96.

Qatar is the Best
WanderBat ranked Qatar Airways as the
world’s most reliable airline, giving it a
perfect score of 100. Followed closely by
Emirates and China Eastern, the top three
airlines showed how the Gulf and Asia are
dominating the travel market.
In turn, British Airways ranked in
eighth place as the only UK airline to make
the list.
America fared even worse, with
one airline making it into 17th place
- SouthWest Airlines. WanderBat has
looked at several different factors in
order to form a Smart Rating and rank
Still One of the Best the top international airlines.
According to analysts, for the
airline industry, travellers’ demands
Malaysia Airlines ranked the world’s 16th most reliable airline are not restricted to just safety.
By Jay Menon “Today’s travellers have increasingly
become image and brand conscious,
DESPITE SUFFERING TWO PLANE is the policy for just about 19.3 per cent of pondering over not only airfare but
crashes last year, Malaysia Airlines (MAS) international airlines. also airline’s reputation in terms
has been ranked the world’s 16th most MAS also charges US$13.14 (RM48.59) timely departure, baggage cost
reliable airline by a travel website. for the third bag, which is about US$124.60 and the age or quality of the fleet it
WanderBat’s ranking this month (RM460.71) lower than the average price operates,” says an official of a leading
that surveyed 22 airlines gave Malaysia’s for all international airlines. The average airline in the Middle East.
national carrier a score of 85 out of 100, age of jets in the MAS fleet is 4.6 years, “It matters most to frequent fliers
based on the criteria of the number of free compared to about 10 years for the – and they have plenty of options to
checked baggage allowed, flight punctuality international average and 10.6 years for choose from for travelling from a range
and the average age of the fleet. the average of the entire airline industry. of airlines,” he adds.
“Despite the recent tragic
disappearance of a Malaysia Airlines
plane, the rest of the airlines’ stats still
stand firm,” WanderBat said.
Malaysian Airlines Flight Mh370
disappeared in March last year and
authorities have so failed to find any trace
of the aircraft, while another flight Mh17
of the airline crashed in Ukraine last July,
killing all on board, after it was allegedly
shot down in the troubled rebel-held
eastern Ukraine.
According to WanderBat, about 74 per
cent of MAS flights are on time, which is
0.7 per cent less than the average for all
international flights. MAS also allows
economy class passengers to check in two
bags for free on international flights, which
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