Qatar Airways is named the World’s Best Airline at the Skytrax World Airline Awards

It was a good week for Qatar Airways, which was named the world’s favorite airline at the Skytrax World Airline Awards, and also for Air New Zealand, which launched the first direct flight between Auckland and New York.

Skytrax World Airline Awards – The best airlines https://www.worldairlineawards.com/
The best airline by region: https://www.worldairlineawards.com/best-airlines-2022-by-region/
The best low-cost airline – Scoot: https://www.worldairlineawards.com/worlds-best-low-cost-airlines-2022/
The best business class – Qatar Airways: https://www.worldairlineawards.com/worlds-best-business-class-airlines-2022/
The best economy class – Emirates: https://www.worldairlineawards.com/worlds-best-economy-class-airlines-2022/
The best cabin crew – Singapore Airlines : https://www.worldairlineawards.com/worlds-best-airline-cabin-crew-2022/

However, a study released Wednesday revealed that airline passenger satisfaction is taking a dive in North America, and one East Coast airport is leaving customers unhappier than most.

That same airport (alright, it’s Newark!) was the worst US airport for cancellations this summer, but if you want to know who was in the bad books globally, look to Canada for the world leaders in delays.

A regional US airline’s controversial proposal to tackle the global pilot shortage by cutting the hours it takes to become a co-pilot was slapped down by the Federal Aviation Administration on Monday.

And Southwest Airlines pulled an outrageous move when it surprised a flight full of Hawaii-bound passengers by handing out ukuleles for all and imposing an impromptu beginners’ lesson. Yes, you heard us right. Train company Amtrak was quick to troll the airline on Twitter.

At the World Airline Awards on Friday Sept. 23, Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted told the audience that the industry was being buoyed by the “pent-up demand for travel” but that we now “just need to see a few more borders opening.”

In Asia, the most cautious continent when it comes to Covid-19 policies, that’s finally beginning to happen. Japan has set a date to reopen to mass tourism next month, and on September 26, Hong Kong will remove international quarantine after more than two years.

The central Asian nation of Bhutan reopened on September 23, and news also came this week that China is considering easing entry rules for some foreign tourists.