This was published 7 years ago
World's best airline cabins: first class, business class and economy cabins
By Soo Kim
Etihad Airways, Virgin Australia, Air New Zealand, and Singapore Airlines have scooped the top prizes in an annual survey of the world's best airline cabins.
The website AirlineRatings.com, an independent safety and product rating website, has just released its top picks for 2017, having judged dozens of major airlines on criteria including seat pitch and width, design and innovation, as well as service, across four cabin classes: first, business, premium economy and economy.
First class
Leading the pack for first class was Etihad Airways, the national carrier of Abu Dhabi. It recently launched The Residence suite, a three-room "penthouse in the sky", on board its A380 aircraft.
"Etihad A380 first class services accommodate passengers in impressive 'apartments' or 'suites', while Etihad's A380 'business studios' are undoubtedly some of the most sophisticated business-class seats on offer," said John O'Ceallaigh, a travel editor.
Etihad's first class fliers can take advantage of a 6'10" bed, an armchair, a full length wardrobe, and doors that close to provide a more private experience. There's even an on-board shower.
The airline's super-jumbo which features "The Residence" first arrived in Australia last year in Sydney – a one-way flight from Sydney to Abu Dhabi costing about $27,000.The airline commenced it A380 service featuring the Residence class from Melbourne to Abu Dhabi in June this year.
Just behind Etihad was Singapore Airlines, which offers its first-class guests extra-wide 35" seats that convert to flat beds, mood lighting, and an amenity kit from Italian luxury brand Ferragamo, as well as more than 1,000 in-flight entertainment options.
Emirates, named the world's best airline at this year's Telegraph Travel Awards (voted for by more than 75,000 readers), came third.
"Emirates is all about privacy. The [first class] seat is a suite, with sliding doors that you can close and retire behind. There's also a private minibar", said O'Ceallaigh. Other luxurious perks include an on-board shower and dressing area, amenities from Bulgari, and a glass of Dom Pérignon 2004 with breakfast.
Qantas, whose A380 first class cabins feature a champagne bar with gold chandeliers, as well as swivelling seats that turn into nearly 7' flat beds with sheepskin mattresses, came fourth.
Cathay Pacific rounded out the top five. Highlights in its first class cabins include massage chairs.
British Airways took seventh place for the first class cabins on its Dreamliner aircraft. The airline recently launched an offer provided fliers who book a Club World (business class) seat before December 11 a free upgrade to first class.
Virgin Australia was named top for business class. Geoffrey Thomas of AirlineRatings.com praised its beds, which come with a "triple-layer seat cushion supported by a hammock sub-frame, which almost guarantees perfect slumber" and offer "plenty of space for gadgets and shelf-space to place one's laptop while dining".
British Airways followed Air France, which took sixth for its La Première first class cabins (shown below).
Top 10 first class cabins
- Etihad Airways
- Singapore Airlines
- Emirates
- Qantas Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- Air France
- British Airways
- All Nippon Airways
- Lufthansa
- Korean Airlines
See also: How Sam Huang got a $60k first-class trip around the world on Emirates for $300
Business class
Virgin Australia was named top for business class. Geoffrey Thomas of AirlineRatings.com praised its beds, which come with a "triple-layer seat cushion supported by a hammock sub-frame, which almost guarantees perfect slumber" and offer "plenty of space for gadgets and shelf-space to place one's laptop while dining".
Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, Etihad and Qantas completed the top five; Virgin Atlantic came eighth.
Top 10 business class cabins
- Virgin Australia
- Air New Zealand
- Singapore Airlines
- Etihad Airways
- Qantas Airways
- Emirates
- Cathay Pacific
- Virgin Atlantic
- All Nippon Airways
- Japan Airlines
See also: What it's like to fly business class for the first time
Economy class
Entertainment monitors in the economy class cabin of a Singapore Airlines Airbus SE A350 aircraft.Credit: Bloomberg
Of most interest to the majority of fliers will be the economy class ratings. And it was the same carriers that dominated, with Singapore Airlines ranked top, Cathay Pacific fourth, Qantas fifth, Air New Zealand sixth, Virgin Australia eighth and Etihad ninth.
"[Singapore Airlines] has always been a leader in the economy class product going back to the 1960s, when as Malaysia-Singapore Airlines, it introduced free headsets and free drinks to economy passengers. And the innovation has never stopped, with new seats on its A350 and the continual upgrading of its industry-leading in-flight entertainment system," Geoffrey Thomas told the Daily Mail.
The airline, which was named the second best long-haul airline at this year's Telegraph Travel Awards, and third best in the world in the annual Skytrax World Airline Awards, was followed by Korean Airlines and the Taiwanese carrier EVA Air.
Top 10 economy cabins
- Singapore Airlines
- Korean Airlines
- EVA Air
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- Qantas Airways
- Air New Zealand
- Japan Airlines
- Virgin Australia
- Etihad Airways
- All Nippon Airways
See also: 20 secrets to enjoying an economy flight
Premium economy
Air New Zealand was judged to offer the best seats in premium economy.
"Air New Zealand has shown better than any other airline that passengers will pay more if the product is right and priced accordingly. Its efforts in this space are a lesson to all airlines that passengers want better and are prepared to pay," Mr Thomas said.
The airline was followed by Qantas, Virgin Australia, Virgin Atlantic and Singapore Airlines, while British Airways came 10th.
Top 10 premium economy cabins
- Air New Zealand
- Qantas Airways
- Virgin Australia
- Virgin Atlantic
- Singapore Airlines
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- EVA Air
- Lufthansa
- All Nippon Airways
- British Airways
The Telegraph, London
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