Qatar Airways has won four out of six 2019 Airline Passenger Experience Association’s (APEX) Passenger Choice Awards which is an all-time record for a single airline in a region.
Qatar Airways was named ‘Best Overall Carrier in the Middle East’, ‘Best Cabin Service in the Middle East’, ‘Best Food & Beverage in the Middle East’, and ‘Best Seat Comfort in the Middle East’, at a ceremony that took place in Istanbul, Turkey.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are thrilled to have swept four out of the six APEX Passenger Choice awards in the Middle East category, and we extend our sincere thanks to our many loyal passengers who have voted for us. To have been recognised for excellence across so many key categories is a tremendous achievement for Qatar Airways, and is proof of the great heights to which we have soared during the past year. This accomplishment sets a new benchmark for the airline going forward, and we renew our commitment to continuing to innovate to offer our passengers the very finest experience when they fly.”
This is an airline well known to us here in Edinburgh where the direct flights from Edinburgh to Doha are very popular. This route began with a splash of publicity five years ago, and it has been an amazing success for the airline. Seat sales have now doubled and the airline flies twice daily on some days of the week.
This was the first direct link from Edinburgh into the Middle East and it opens up China and Asia to passengers from Edinburgh. Morten Loej Senior Vice President, Qatar Airways explained at their recent party to celebrate five years of the Edinburgh to Doha route that people use it to go to Qatar but also to travel onwards. For example, Vietnam is a holiday destination growing in popularity in the same way as Thailand used to be.
APEX Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Joe Leader, said: “With more than a million verified passenger votes counted for the 2019 Official Airline Ratings and Passenger Choice Awards, Qatar Airways received an overwhelmingly positive response by passengers around the globe. In addition to being a 2019 APEX Five Star Global Airline, Qatar Airways earned the 2019 Passenger Choice Award for the ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’. That is an amazing accomplishment in one of the most competitive regions in the world. Qatar also achieved a record number of Passenger Choice Awards by also winning the 2019 Middle East Awards for ‘Best Cabin Service’, ‘Best Food & Beverage’, and ‘Best Seat Comfort’. The innovation and level of care that Qatar Airways has invested into constantly improving passenger experience has resonated strongly in the airline’s success and is a positive leadership influence on our industry.”
The APEX Passenger Choice Awards are based on passenger feedback gathered through APEX’s partnership with TripIt® from Concur®, the world’s highest-rated travel-organising app. Using a five-star scale, more than one million flights are rated by passengers across nearly 500 airlines from around the world from 1 July 2017 – 31 June 2018.
Passengers rate their overall flight experience from one to five stars. On the same screen, passengers are also given the opportunity to provide anonymous ratings in five subcategories: seat comfort, cabin service, food and beverage, entertainment, and Wi-Fi. The single screen rating allows airline passengers to easily rate their flight in less than 15 seconds. The Passenger Choice Awards are independently certified by a professional external auditing company hired by APEX.
Qatar Airways is one of the world’s fastest-growing airlines, with a modern fleet of more than 250 aircraft flying to business and leisure destinations across six continents. As part of its continued expansion plans, Qatar Airways plans a host of exciting new destinations throughout 2019, including Mogadishu, Somalia and Langkawi, Malaysia, as well as many more.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
