Forbes said the awards rely on the proficiency of its 66-year-old Star Ratings system (which relies on incognito inspections by expert inspectors to determine the annual ratings of hotels, restaurants, spas and ocean cruise ships).
Unfortunately, in all the 22 award categories mentioned, no African aviation stakeholder made it. The awards ranged from the Best International Airline, Best U.S. Airline, Best International Airport, Best In-Flight Cocktail Lounge to Best Airline App.
African airlines have however, made their marks globally as seen in the last Skytrax awards where airlines from the continent demonstrated a commendable performance.
The Skytrax awards which assessed how stakeholders in the aviation industry performed between September 2023 and May 2024 evaluated over 325 airlines customers of over 100 different nationalities.
The 22 award categories recognize and celebrate the visual appeal and design of airports, including the initial impression that passengers form when entering the terminal building, whether it’s a private or public airport.
Forbes describes it this way “Before you check into a stunning hotel or explore a new city, chances are your travels will begin at the airport. And the journey is just as important as the destination”
The global ranking body revealed that Forbes Travel Guide’s (FTG) air travel experts toured the globe to come up with a list of nominees. Also, an invitation-only survey team of 5,000 of the most well-traveled people in the hospitality industry, including luxury travel advisors and FTG’s most frequent fliers sourced and picked the list of the Verified Air Travel Award winners.
“Too many travel industry awards are the result of a somewhat suspect popularity contest. The Verified Air Travel Awards are important because the metrics are based on real-world experience and real-world accountability,” says Peter Greenberg, Emmy Award-winning travel journalist and host of Eye on Travel on CBS Radio.
The winners of the 2024 Forbes Travel Guide Verified Air Travel Awards are highlighted below:
S/N
Award
Country
Location
1
Best International Airline
Emirates
Dubai
2
Best U.S. Airline
Delta Air Lines
US
3
Best Small Airline
La Compagnie
Paris
4
Best Jet
NetJets
US
5
Best International Airport
Singapore Changi Airport
Singapore
6
Best U.S. Airport
LaGuardia Airport
US
7
Best First Class
Emirates
Dubai
8
Best International Business Class
Qatar Airways
Qatar
9
Best Domestic Business Class
Delta Air Lines
US
10
Best Independent Airport Lounge
Louis Vuitton Lounge by Yannick Alléno, Hamad International Airport
Qatar
11
Best U.S. Airline Lounge
Delta One, John F. Kennedy International Airport
US
12
Best International Airline Lounge
Emirates First Class Lounge, Dubai
Dubai
13
Best Airport Dining
Dubai International Airport
Dubai
14
Best Wine List
Air France
France
15
Best Culinary Program
Emirates
Dubai
16
Innovation of the Year
Transportation Security Administration (for implementing facial recognition at major U.S. airports)
US
17
Best Airport Design
Singapore Changi Airport
Singapore
18
Best Loyalty Program
Delta Air Lines SkyMiles
US
19
Best In-Flight Cocktail Lounge
Emirates
Dubai
20
Best Private Airport Experience
Heathrow VIP
UK
21
Best Airport Wellness Experience
Jewel Changi Airport (for the Forest Valley and Rain Vortex gardens)
Singapore
22
Best Airline App
Delta Air Lines
US
The major winners include the US with eight awards, Dubai carted away six awards, while Qatar, Singapore and France took home two awards each.
