By Lisa Flueckiger, Senior Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Azul is the only Brazilian airline company to win an award at this year’s World Airline Awards by Skytrax. The company won in the category of best low-cost airline in South America, while Qatar Airways received the honors of best airline in the world in 2015.
In the overall ranking of the hundred best airlines Qatar Airways leads ahead of Singapore Airlines and last year’s winner Cathay Pacific Airways. Avianca, the Colombian airline operating in Brazil as well, made it to 49th place in the overall ranking, while TAM is 51st and Azul 62nd. GOL did not make it into the list of the hundred best airlines.
The worldwide ranking of low-cost airlines is led by AirAsia for the seventh time in a row, with no Brazilian airline in the worldwide top ten. Regarding low-cost airlines in South America, Azul tops the list ahead of GOL, Easyfly and Viva Colombia.
Chilean company LAN won the honors of Best Airline in South America and Best Airline Staff Service in South America. While Colombian Avianca won Best Airline in Central America/Caribbean.
Singapore Airlines received the award for Best Business Class, while Garuda Indonesia had the best Cabin Staff according to customers. Emirates won the honors for Best Inflight Entertainment and Air France counted as the Most Improved Airline.
In Brazil, the main airlines operating in the domestic market are GOL, Azul, TAM and Colombian airline Avianca. TAM works in collaboration with LAN and is the only airline offering long-distance international flights, while GOL offers some international destinations in South and Central America.
Azul flies domestically plus to Orlando and Fort Lauderdale in the U.S., while Avianca Brasil flies to Bogota, Colombia. GOL generally has the largest offer of flights and is considered the cheapest airline in Brazil.
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error