EVA Air and Starlux retain five stars at Skytrax Awards

Two of Taiwan’s international carriers, EVA Airways and Starlux Airlines, secured prestigious five-star airline ratings at this year’s Skytrax World Airline Awards held in London on Friday.

EVA Air also won three world No. 1 honors, while Starlux was named the world’s cleanest airline.

EVA Air said in a statement on Saturday that it was honored to have the world’s best premium economy class and the best premium economy class amenities while also being recognized as the world’s most family-friendly airline.

EVA Airways Corp and Starlux Airlines Co aircraft are pictured at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) in an undated photograph.

Photo: CNA

The carrier also retained Skytrax’s five-star airline rating for the 11th consecutive year.

The five-star rating is considered one of the airline industry’s highest honors and is awarded following professional audits of airline product and frontline service standards, according to the international airline review organization Skytrax.

EVA Air received a total of 18 top 10 rankings in this year’s awards, it said.

Executive vice president Liao Chi-wei (廖至維), who accepted the awards in London on behalf of the airline, said that the recognition belonged to the airline’s entire workforce.

The airline also said it would launch five weekly nonstop flights between Taoyuan and New Delhi beginning Dec. 1, further expanding its Asian network and bolstering Taiwan’s role as a regional transit hub.

Starlux said it retained its five-star airline certification for a second consecutive year after first earning the distinction last year. The airline made its commercial debut in January 2020.

Starlux also ranked first in the world’s cleanest airline category, which evaluates cabin cleanliness, including seats, tray tables, carpets and lavatories.

Starlux CEO Glenn Chai (翟健華) said the awards recognized the company’s commitment to service quality and the dedication of its employees to maintaining high standards across every aspect of the passenger experience.

In terms of airline rankings, EVA Air ranked 11th in the world, up from 12th last year, Starlux ranked 13th, up from 18th last year, and Taiwan’s other major international carrier, China Airlines, ranked 30th, up from 37th last year.

Nine of the top 10 airlines in Skytrax’s ratings were Asian-based, led by Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways and ANA All Nippon Airways. The only non-Asian airline in the top 10 was Air France, which ranked seventh.

Dubbed the “Oscars of the aviation industry,” the annual Skytrax World Airline Awards have been held since 1999. The awards are based on global passenger satisfaction surveys evaluating airlines’ products and services.