AirAsia has been voted the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline at the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2023 (Skytrax) for an unprecedented 14th consecutive time.
As a global benchmark of airline quality and excellence, the final award results include more than 325 airlines with AirAsia emerging on top in its category. Over 100 nationalities of travellers participated in the online survey, with 20.23 million eligible entries counted in the results from September 2022 to May 2023, a period when AirAsia had steadily increased its network back to over 130 destinations.
This exceptional recognition comes as a resounding testament to the airline's recovery and robust growth in its routes and passengers carried, alongside an unwavering commitment to innovation and providing exceptional service despite the challenges brought about by the global pandemic. As a result, AirAsia once again remains the top low-cost airline for travellers seeking the best for value and choice.
In accepting the award at a ceremony at the Paris Air Show 2023 in France on Tuesday, Capital A CEO, Tony Fernandes said: “We are immensely proud and grateful for this meaningful award given to us by the Skytrax organisers, voters, and the incredible supporters of AirAsia. Getting an award of excellence for 14 consecutive years is a remarkable achievement, one that fills our hearts with joy and humility. This is an extraordinary feat for any company in any industry, even more so for our proudly Asean brand.”
Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax said: “AirAsia is a survey passenger favourite and have delivered a remarkable degree of consistency year-on-year since the World's Best Low-Cost Airline category was introduced to the awards programme in 2010. The recognition from customers should be a great source of pride for the airline management and staff in what has been a difficult period as travel returns after the Covid pandemic.”
With 170 planes already back in service across the Group, AirAsia expects to have all 204 reactivated by the end of August this year. Not only will it achieve 100% of pre-pandemic capacity in the coming months, the airline is also looking to spread its wings even further with the addition of 19 new planes which will take flight this year, including four Frontier planes.
AirAsia has also recommenced its longer-term aircraft orders to bring its fleet to the biggest yet to have 362 planes, the first of which will be delivered in 2024. The airline is also looking forward to its cargo and logistics business Teleport to receive the first of the three dedicated A321Fs freighters in July, to boost volume and speed for cross-border deliveries in the region.
AirAsia also reaffirms its commitment to excel in customer experience with numerous AI enhancements for its chatbot AskBo alongside the continued rollout of its own biometric facial recognition technology - FACES - on its core domestic routes, which will make flying and connecting with the airline more efficient and seamless than ever before.
Tony added: “People will always be the airline’s biggest asset and we are thrilled to confirm that all of our 22,000 Allstars who tirelessly strive to provide the best service and experience to millions of our guests, both on the ground and in the air are now back. This award is dedicated to Allstars and all 800 million guests and counting who have voted for AirAsia time and time again, for being a part of its incredible journey.”
