Jet2.com is today named as the best airline in the UK and Europe’s best low cost carrier.
The holiday airline is also ranked as the seventh best in the world and the only UK carrier to be named among the world top ten in the 2018 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards for airlines.
Virgin Atlantic is ranked as Europe’s top major carrier, according to the second annual rankings of travellers’ favourite airlines around the globe.
Jet2.com and Virgin Atlantic are also rated highly in class of service categories alongside Thomson [Tui] Airways.
Jet2.com is named Europe’s best economy class, while Virgin Atlantic is named a winner.
For premium economy, Virgin Atlantic takes the top award with Thomson Airways named a winner.
In the business category, Russian airline Aeroflot is named best in Europe but Virgin Atlantic is placed as a winner.
Award winners were determined using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of airline reviews and ratings submitted by travellers worldwide over 12 months
Each category awards one airline as ‘Best’ with a number of other carriers awarded as equal ‘Winners’ apart from in the case of the ‘World’s Best Airlines’ which ranks airlines from one to ten.
The biggest winner in the awards this year is Singapore Airlines, claiming the title of top airline in the world. SIA is also ranked for best first and economy class in the world.
Air New Zealand and Emirates are in second and third place respectively followed by Japan Airlines, Eva Air, Southwest Airlines, Jet2.com, Qatar Airways, Brazil-based Azul and Korean Air.
Asia holds the highest number of individual winners in the world top ten with SIA, Japan Airlines, Eva Air and Korean Air.
Qatar Airways is ranked as having the best business class and Air New Zealand the best premium economy.
Behind Virgin Atlantic as the top major airline in Europe are Turkish Airlines, KLM. Swiss, Lufthansa, Aeroflot, Austrain Airlines, Finnair, SAS and S7 Airlines.
The other top low cost airlines in Europe are Romanian carrier Bue Air and Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia.
The top regional airlines in Europe are named as Aegean Airlines, Germania, Edelweiss Air and Air Malta.
TripAdvisor Flights EMEA regional business development director Katherine Clark said: “The fact that three UK airlines have won in this year’s awards and one of those is named among the world top ten, shows just how well the UK industry is competing with some of the biggest players worldwide.”
Jet2.com and Jet2holidays chief executive Steve Heapy said: “We are extremely proud to have received these four prestigious accolades from TripAdvisor, which show that Jet2.com is a world class performer when it comes to delivering the best customer experience.
“We have been beating the competition to win prestigious awards in the UK for some time, and now we are taking that success onto a global stage.
“The TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice awards for airlines are based on the experiences of paying customers, which makes them truly representative and all the more rewarding to receive as a result.
“The four awards are yet another endorsement of our commitment to delivering the best experience for our customers. Our family friendly formula, low fares, brand new aircraft and generous 22kg baggage allowance are very clearly working with customers, and all of that is complemented by the brilliant Jet2.com team who work tirelessly every day to look after our customers.”
Of nearly 10,000 reviews on TripAdvisor, almost 90% of Jet2.com’s reviews were rated as ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’, with travellers praising the airline in particular for customer service, cleanliness, value for money and check-in and boarding.
Virgin Atlantic CEO Craig Kreeger said: “To win these awards based on reviews from our customers is something we’re truly proud of.
“Everyone at Virgin Atlantic works so hard to give our customers the best experience possible and to be recognised as the best major airline in Europe as well as the best premium economy by the TripAdvisor community is a real honour.
“Innovation to improve the experience for our customers is at the heart of what we do. We were the first airline to introduce premium economy over 25 years ago and it’s clear that it’s still just as loved now than it was then.”