Air travel if you are mobility impaired

A mobility impairment should not stop you from travelling by air. The important thing is to plan ahead and let your airline, travel agent or tour operator know what assistance you will need at the airport or on the plane.

Booking and advance notice

If you will need help, make sure you give the airline as much notice of this as you can. This way, the airline can plan ahead and have the right staff and/or equipment available at the right time and place for you.

Travelling by air may mean that even if you are normally independent you will need help. For example, if you have walking difficulties you may find that with the distances involved at the airport, you need to use a wheelchair or buggy to get to the gate.

Wheelchair users

Airlines must carry your mobility equipment free of charge. You must tell the airline when you book your flight so that they have the details of your wheelchair or scooter. This is particularly important if you have a powered wheelchair or scooter.

Seating on board an aircraft has to meet air safety regulations. Because of this, you can't take your own wheelchair into the passenger cabin of a plane. It will be stored in the hold of the plane.

Wherever possible you should be able to stay in your own wheelchair until you reach the side of the plane. You will then need to transfer into a boarding chair an on-board chair to get on to the plane.

The point at which you will have to change chairs may vary between airports and will depend on what facilities and equipment are available for the staff to get your wheelchair to the aircraft.

If the plane is joined to the terminal building by an 'air-bridge' or tunnel, you should be able to stay in your own wheelchair right to the door of the plane, as there will be level entry into the passenger cabin.

If the plane is parked away from the terminal, passengers will either have to use a flight of stairs to board or a scissor lift, which allows level access. You will have to transfer into a boarding chair or on-board wheelchair at the departure gate, or on the ground outside the plane, or in the vehicle that you travelled to the plane in.

If your wheelchair has to be specially packed, you may need to transfer into an airport chair at check-in. This often applies to powered wheelchairs or scooters.

Travel insurance

Airlines are not required to provide full compensation for loss or damage to mobility equipment. Before you travel, you should make sure your travel insurance provides good cover for your wheelchair.

• Travel insurance for disabled people

Airline policies

Some airlines may ask you to prove why you need some facilities or services, like seats with extra legroom. This helps them to give priority to those people who really need these facilities, which are often in limited supply. You should not be asked to provide proof just for requesting assistance.

Different airlines have different policies. The airline or travel agent will tell you when you book what information you need to provide.

An airline is entitled to require that a passenger travels with a companion if the passenger is not self-sufficient. To travel alone, you should be capable of moving from a passenger seat to an on-board wheelchair, as cabin crew are not allowed to lift passengers in and out of seats for health and safety reasons.

Legal rights

Under European law, disabled people and other people with reduced mobility have legal rights to assistance when travelling by air. There is detailed information about this on the website of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Airlines & Disability Policies

Airline	Comments
AirTran Airways
Air Canada
Air France	Not much information here, so you may have to phone them to expand on what they mean by "24-Disabled customers are welcomed, given information and treated according to their special needs with full respect for their dignity."
Air Alaska	This airline even has a Service Dog policy, must be all those Huskies!
American Airlines
America Weat Airlines
British Airways	Note "On Jetstream 41 aircraft, we cannot carry you if you need 'lift on' assistance or cannot climb steps. The cabin space at the top of the steps of this aircraft is too small for wheelchair access "
Continental Airlines	Not only does their policy cover service dogs, but it also covers service monkeys! (does that mean kids go free?).
Delta Airlines
El Al Airlines	Very "sketchy" policy, better to phone them about assistance, especially lifting you into your aircraft seat.
Hawiaiian Airlines	If you are travelling on your own, be aware of the following:- "If Hawaiian Airlines believes a passenger needs an attendant in order to ensure his or her safety, such as in the case of passengers traveling on stretchers or in incubators, those with disabilities that prevent understanding of or acting upon safety instructions, or those with an inability to assist in his or her own evacuation of the airplane, we will request that the customer arrange for a traveling attendant. "
Jet Blue Airlines	Again, check their "Contract of Carriage", as they may require you to travel with a carer if "A person with a mobility impairment so severe that the person is unable to assist in his or her own evacuation of the aircraft".
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Lufthansa Airlines
Malaysia Airlines
New Zealand Airlines	Air New Zealand will not lift disabled passengers into their aircraft seats, fly with Quantas instead.
Northwest Airlines
Quantas	Very comprehensive set of policies, very helpfull
Scandinavian Airlines	with Scandinavian Airlines, if your travel exceeds four hours, and you are traveling without an assistant, you must be able to manage: moving from one seat to another, eating and drinking, inside the lavatory. (You will be assisted with the onboard wheelchair from/to your passenger seat if needed.) to use a normal aircraft seat with the seatback in upright position when so required.
Song Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Swiss Airlines
United Airlines
U.S. Airlines
Virgin Atlantic

Wheelchair Holidays : Airlines & Disability Policies

The Industry Handbook

Few inventions have changed how people live and experience the world as much as the invention of the airplane. During both World Wars, government subsidies and demands for new airplanes vastly improved techniques for their design and construction. Following the World War II, the first commercial airplane routes were set up in Europe. Over time, air travel has become so commonplace that it would be hard to imagine life without it. The airline industry, therefore, certainly has progressed. It has also altered the way in which people live and conduct business by shortening travel time and altering our concept of distance, making it possible for us to visit and conduct business in places once considered remote. (For more on the airline industry, read Is That Airline Ready For Lift-Off?)

The airline industry exists in an intensely competitive market. In recent years, there has been an industry-wide shakedown, which will have far-reaching effects on the industry's trend towards expanding domestic and international services. In the past, the airline industry was at least partly government owned. This is still true in many countries, but in the U.S. all major airlines have come to be privately held.

The airline industry can be separated into four categories by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT):

• International - 130+ seat planes that have the ability to take passengers just about anywhere in the world. Companies in this category typically have annual revenue of $1 billion or more.
• National - Usually these airlines seat 100-150 people and have revenues between $100 million and $1 billion.
• Regional - Companies with revenues less than $100 million that focus on short-haul flights.
• Cargo - These are airlines generally transport goods.

Airport capacity, route structures, technology and costs to lease or buy the physical aircraft are significant in the airline industry. Other large issues are:

• Weather - Weather is variable and unpredictable. Extreme heat, cold, fog and snow can shut down airports and cancel flights, which costs an airline money.
• Fuel Cost - According to the Air Transportation Association (ATA), fuel is an airline's second largest expense. Fuel makes up a significant portion of an airline's total costs, although efficiency among different carriers can vary widely. Short haul airlines typically get lower fuel efficiency because take-offs and landings consume high amounts of jet fuel.
• Labor - According to the ATA, labor is the an airline's No.1 cost; airlines must pay pilots, flight attendants, baggage handlers, dispatchers, customer service and others.

Airline Research data

Resilient city: the economic impact of 9/11‎ - Page 200 by Howard Chernick - Business & Economics - 2005 - 332 pages Given this, the following industry-occupation analysis should be interpreted as offering a hypothetical benchmark against which additional ... Limited preview - About this book - Add to my library - More editions

Competition policy analysis‎ - Page 150 by Einar Hope - Business & Economics - 2000 - 242 pages However, the experience from the deregulation of the Norwegian airline industry differs from what we have seen in the United States. ... Limited preview - About this book - Add to my library - More editions

International Financial Reporting and Analysis‎ - Page 767 by David Alexander, Anne Britton, Ann Jorissen - Business & Economics - 2007 - 898 pages Many economic textbooks mention the airline industry as a typical example ... A further important aspect of industry analysis is the study of the relation ... Limited preview - About this book - Add to my library

The loyalty effect: the hidden force behind growth, profits, and lasting value‎ - Page 209 by Frederick F. Reichheld, Thomas Teal - Business & Economics - 2001 - 323 pages CREATIVE FAILURE ANALYSIS As we saw earlier, the airline industry has achieved a sophistication and rigor in its analysis of airplane failure that is ... Limited preview - About this book - Add to my library - More editions

Cases in contemporary strategy analysis‎ - Page 29 by Robert M. Grant, Kent E. Neupert - Business & Economics - 2003 - 369 pages If profitability in the US airline industry was going to be much the same in the future as it had been in the past (table 3.2), how could the companies ... Limited preview - About this book - Add to my library

Business analysis and valuation: text and cases‎ - Page 43 by Krishna G. Palepu, Erik Peek, Victor Bernard, Paul M. Healy - Business & Economics - 2007 - 788 pages ... the European airline industry, IKEA and the easyGroup, respectively, to illustrate the application of the steps. INDUSTRY ANALYSIS In analyzing a firm's ... Limited preview - About this book - Add to my library - More editions

How to analyze businesses, financial statements, and the quality of earnings‎ - Page 220 by Joel G. Siegel - Business & Economics - 1991 - 266 pages N Airline paid "open market" prices in 19X4. Consequently, its average price significantly exceeded the industry's domestic average price. ... Snippet view - About this book - Add to my library - More editions

Competitive solutions: the strategist's toolkit‎ - Page 9 by R. Preston McAfee - Business & Economics - 2002 - 404 pages For example, an analysis of the airline industry suggests that new entrants will upset any profitable configuration of the industry — entry and the ... Limited preview - About this book - Add to my library

Transportation economic analysis‎ - Page 103 by James T. Kneafsey - Business & Economics - 1975 - 418 pages 10 The Airline Industry A member of the Rothschild family is claimed to have once ... 1 Although this prescription for the airline industry is a hyperbole, ... Snippet view - About this book - Add to my library - More editions

Seeing what's next: using the theories of innovation to predict industry change‎ - Page 97 by Clayton M. Christensen, Scott D. Anthony, Erik A. Roth - Business & Economics - 2004 - 312 pages PART II Illustrations of Theory-Based Analysis THE PREVIOUS SECTION should ... Everyone who cares about any industry's future — from senior executives to ... Limited preview - About this book - Add to my library

Airline industry

The Airline Industry encompasses a single aircraft conveying cargo articles and mail to different places to the numerous aircrafts carrying passengers to the different parts of the world. Services of the Airline industry can be segregated as domestic, regional, within the continent or travel between continents. A thorough analysis of the Airline industry will essentially comprise all of the above. Records show that the demand for airline travel has been increasing. 1950 through 1960 manifested a trend when the yearly growth was consistent at approximately 15%. Airline industry showed yearly growth ranging between 5% to 6% consistently in the 80s and the 90s. However, rate of growth cannot be expected to remain same throughout due to several factors. Deregulation being one of the reasons. Deregulation in the Airline industry led to flexibility in the prices of the airline tickets. Consequently, the airfares nosedived at times escalating the airway traffic.
In some countries the Airline industry is regulated by the Government. In countries, where the Airline industry is privatized, many norms and regulations as laid forward by the Government has to be complied with. These norms and regulations have been framed keeping in mind the safety, political as well as economic aspects. The Airline industry trend shows that during the period 2000 through 2002, 6% profit was enjoyed by the Airline industry, as much as 10% to 13% was gained by companies in the catering sector, manufacturers of aircraft gained by 16%, airports gained by 10% etc.,. The Airline ticket costs are inclusive of the taxes, different kinds of fees and surcharges wherever applicable. To know more about the Airline industry one may browse through the following links:

• Airline Industry Analysis
• Airline Industry Trends
• Airline Industry Growth
• Airline Industry Mergers
• Air Cargo Industry
• World Airline Industry
• U.S Airline Industry
• Airline Industry in india.

Global Airline Industry Program

Welcome MIT has established a multidisciplinary team of faculty, staff and graduate students drawn from the Schools of Engineering, Management and Humanities and Social Sciences to study the global airline industry. The goal of this program is to develop a body of knowledge for understanding development, growth and competitive advantage in this industry, which is one of the most diverse, dynamic and perplexing of the world. The Global Airline Industry Program represents a large-scale effort that provides the means for MIT and the academic community to make a "great leap forward" in studying the airline industry and in educating its future leaders. This effort is funded under the umbrella of the Sloan Foundation's Industry Studies Program and is also supported by the MIT Airline Industry Consortium. What's New? New Textbook: The Global Airline Industry Eds. P. Belobaba, A. Odoni, C. Barnhart November 2008 IAB/Airline Industry Consortium Meeting Airline Data Project Now Updated Through 2008 Working Paper on Cost Convergence in the US Airline Industry White Paper on International Airline Liberalization

Lose $9bn this year

KUALA LUMPUR: Global airlines called on Monday for concerted action to prevent another runaway surge in oil prices as the International Air Transport Association nearly doubled its forecast of industry losses to $9 billion in 2009.

The head of the Geneva-based airline lobby lambasted "greedy speculation" in oil markets and accused governments of squandering money raised from aviation while carriers suffer from still slumping demand.

"This is the most difficult situation the industry has faced," IATA Director General Giovanni Bisignani told the aviation body's annual meeting in the Malaysian capital.

"I am a realist. I don't see facts to support optimism."

However, John Leahy, commercial director at European aircraft manufacturer Airbus, said that while 2009 would be tough, plans by United Airlines to order as many as 150 new planes from Airbus or rival Boeing Co showed the market was starting to turn.

"Cancellations are not as much of an issue as deferrals. I don't think we'll have that many more cancellations," he said in an interview.

How to Find Great Airfare Deals

1. Use the Web

Reduced fares are just a starting point for online booking sites, which are now looking out for hidden fees and other expenses, too. Yapta.com alerts travelers when they can get money back should a ticket price drop after purchasing; TripAdvisor, which added a booking tool for flights, is the first to include the cost of checking bags in its estimates. And Travelocity, Expedia, and Orbitz recently eliminated their booking fees. It also pays to sign up with sites like airfarewatchdog.com, which alerts travelers to short-term promotions that can only be booked directly through the airlines.

2. Watch the New Players

When carriers take on new routes, you can expect a fare war. JetBlue and Southwest, for example, recently announced flights between Baltimore and Boston, giving AirTran, which currently dominates that route, a run for its money. Both V Australia and Delta began service from the United States to Australia this year, driving down prices for the existing carriers. And the new Jet America—which launched in July with $9 promotional fares from Newark, Detroit, Minneapolis, and Orlando—is adding more fuel to the fire.

3. Become a Follower

Your friends aren’t the only ones Twittering. Airlines including JetBlue (@JetBlue), Virgin America (@VirginAmerica), and United (@UnitedAirlines) are capitalizing on the trend by tweeting exclusive deals via the Web.

4. Factor in Timing

Knowing the right moment to buy is the holy grail for Web fare watchers—and each has his own advice. Rick Seaney of farecompare.com, for example, advises buying on Tuesday around 3 p.m., since domestic sales often begin late Monday and it takes about a day for other carriers to match the prices. George Hobica of airfarewatchdog.com suggests waiting until the discount carriers start selling: JetBlue and Southwest only release tickets six and four months out, respectively, so the major players most likely won’t reduce fares until then.

5. Go for the Upgrade

Using frequent-flier miles remains the cheapest way to bump up a class, and there are more opportunities than ever to cash in. Carriers release premium seats about 24 hours in advance, so call the day before your departure. And if all else fails, ask at the airport. With business travel down, you never know what might be available.

T+L’s Guide to Air Travel 2009

The feelings of air travelers right now can be summed up in one simple phrase: We’re mad as hell and…unfortunately we’re going to have to take it some more. These days the only thing more frustrating than flying—what with hidden fees, shrinking legroom, and slashed routes—is the infuriating realization that we travelers and the airlines are stuck with each other, at least until someone finally patents a functioning jet pack. (Really, what’s taking so long?)

Suspend your indignation for a moment and consider all this from their perspective. The airline industry is projecting $9 billion in worldwide losses this year, as costs climb and demand plummets. Between April 2008 and April 2009, overall passenger volume dropped by 11.5 percent. Carriers are responding by cutting flights (down 8.5 percent during the same period), reconfiguring cabins and classes (mostly for the worse but occasionally for the better), and, most egregiously, imposing wily new fees. Then again, why wouldn’t they? U.S. airlines collected half a billion dollars in excess-baggage fees in the final quarter of 2008 alone.

On the plus side, fares have remained relatively steady. According to industry analyst airlinefinancials.com, in 2008 the average cost for a one-way ticket on Delta was $192, this year it’s $199. And the launch of new carriers and service has brought fares down to record lows along certain routes. However, more service cuts are due this fall—reducing flights by an additional 9 percent, according to aviation-consulting firm the Boyd Group International. As capacity diminishes, standard tickets prices will surely rise. That said, airlines will be as eager as ever to fill seats—particularly in first and business class—so you’re still likely to find last-minute deals.

In some ways flying has actually become easier—for the simple fact that fewer people are doing it. Mishandled luggage declined by 23 percent in 2008. Flight delays decreased by about 5 percent year-on-year through March 2009. And security lines are commensurately shorter. “Airports are a lot less crowded, so you won’t find the chaos that characterized last year,” says Kevin Mitchell, chairman of the Business Travel Coalition, a consumer-rights organization. For travelers, that’s at least a silver lining in some decidedly cloudy skies.

Guide to hidden airlines fees

At the airport, though, you discover that checking your two suitcases (one heavy with presents for family members) will set you back $50. Then, on the plane, a flight attendant informs you that a pillow and blanket will cost you another $7. Headphones to screen out the crying baby in the next row: $5. Same price for a can of beer to help you take the edge off. By the time you’ve reached your destination, your wallet’s lighter by about $70—almost half the price of your original ticket.

• See our slideshow of the Guide to Hidden Airline Fees.

The extra fees that airlines now charge passengers—for everything from in-flight snacks to choosing a window or aisle seat—can accrue alarmingly fast. And when you can easily find yourself bumped from an overbooked flight, or sitting inexplicably on the tarmac for hours without taking off, they can seem like insult added to injury.

But there are things you can do to keep the nickeling-and-diming under control, says George Hobica, who runs the online airfare monitoring site airfarewatchdog.com. ”It would be great if the carriers had fee charts that laid out all these costs in a full-disclosure way,“ he says. ”But since they don’t, passengers need to be proactive.“

Among Hobica’s suggestions for avoiding unexpected fees:

• Consider shipping your luggage. Ground transport via UPS, FedEx, or even Express Mail can cost less than checking at the airport—and makes tracking lost bags much easier.
• Leave Fido at home. A good pet-sitter is often more economical than the stiff fees (usually more than $100 per one-way flight) required to bring animals on board.
• Always book online. The good old-fashioned method of calling an airline to reserve by phone can now cost up to $35.
• Bring your own snacks, travel blanket, and pillow in your carry-on. And if you shell out once for a set of headphones, keep the adapter plug to bring with you on your next same-carrier flight.
• Don’t discount the ”discount“ airlines. Southwest Air, for example—long considered a budget option—is actually one of the only domestic carriers that doesn’t charge any extra fees. The reason, according to Southwest spokesman Chris Mainz: ”What used to be considered ‘no frills’—like peanuts and sodas rather than full meals—are now considered amenities. Since we’ve always offered those things for free, we still do.“

• See our slideshow of the Guide to Hidden Airline Fees.

U.S's best and worst airports

We all know the drill: you show up at the airport with plenty of time to spare, only to discover that your flight’s been delayed and now you have hours to kill. Or worse yet, you’ve already boarded your flight and now you’re stuck on the tarmac.

Where is this most likely to happen? You can’t eliminate delays, of course, but you can play the odds—some airports have better track records than others (as do some airlines, which is why we rank the best and worst airlines for on-time performance). So, as we do every year, Travel + Leisure gathered statistics from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics on flights that departed more than 15 minutes behind schedule (in this instance from April 1, 2008, to March 31, 2009) and found out the best—and worst—airports for on-time performance.

There is some good news overall: the worst airport (there’s a new winner this year) improved on its delays by 3 percentage points. It was also the only airport to have 30 percent or more of its flights delayed; last year, four airports broke the 30 percent barrier.

• See our slideshow of America’s Best and Worst Airports 2009.

This upward trend meant that even though some airports improved their on-time performance, their ranking may not have changed much. Dallas decreased its flight delays by a lot—6 percentage points—but it remained at the No. 4 spot in the top 10 worst airports. And JFK—despite decreasing its delays 11 percentage points over the past 2 years—tied with Dallas for that No. 4 spot.

Some of these airports will come as no surprise: the skies around New York City continue to be congested, backing up traffic at all three area airports. And other hubs like Atlanta and Chicago remain on the list of offenders.

But both the best and worst lists have some newcomers this year. Philadelphia—on neither list in 2007 or 2008—showed up in the top 10 worst airports (22 percent of flights were delayed). Orlando had sunnier news, breaking into the 10 best list with just 18 percent of its flights delayed (good news, of course, for visitors to Disney World). Detroit, too, joins the ranks of the elite, with 17 percent of its flights delayed.

And of course some airports have disappeared from the lists. That’s unfortunate for Seattle, which was one of the 10 best in 2008. It’s better news for Chicago Midway (MDW), which at 25 percent was one of the 10 worst in 2008.

So consult this list before you book your next ticket: if you can fly out of an alternate airport like Midway, the odds are better that you’ll arrive at your destination on time. And these days, on-time arrivals are just about the only thing airlines aren’t charging extra for.

• See our slideshow of America’s Best and Worst Airports 2009.

U.S best and worst airlines 2009

Arriving on time is important for all sorts of reasons: making a connection; attending a big meeting; or even just starting your vacation on the right foot.

And when it comes to on-time arrivals, not all airlines are created equal. Sure, sometimes it depends what airports they fly into (which is why we rank the best and worst airports as well): after all, regulars at LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark have to deal with a lot more congestion than airlines flying into, say, Phoenix. But sometimes the arrival record is also a function of the airline itself.

So as we do each year, Travel + Leisure went to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, which tracks the percentage of on-time arrivals for 19 airlines. We looked at the period from February 1, 2008, to March 31, 2009.

• See our slideshow of America’s Best & Worst Airlines 2009.

And we learned that there’s some good news out there. In 2008, the worst-performing airline (American) had an on-time percentage of 68 percent. But this year, the airline that claims last-place honors (not American, by the way) promptly arrived almost 71 percent of the time. And many other airlines showed improved performance as well. Ironically, though, the best airline did worse: it had an on-time arrival rate of 92 percent in 2008, while this year it was down to 89.5 percent.

Mostly, this year’s list is a reshuffling—airlines swapping spots and moving a couple percentage points up or down. But Northwest was a big exception: the airline jumped 6 percentage points from 2008, to almost 80 percent, and moved from No. 12 up to No. 7 in the rankings.

Other exceptions revolved around the regional carriers. American Eagle, for example, came in just 4 spots from the bottom, with only 71 percent of its flights arriving on time. This year, however, it has upped its game, with a rate of more than 76 percent. That didn’t move the airline into the top 10, but it got it very close. Another airline making a big move? Pinnacle, which operates flights for Northwest Airlink and Delta Connection. It did well in 2008—its 77.4 percent performance earned it the No. 6 spot. But this year, it jumped a full 6 percentage points, which was enough to move it to the No. 2 spot.

So which airlines were the big winners? And on which are you more likely to experience delays? Read on to find out.

• See our slideshow of America’s Best & Worst Airlines 2009.

Worst airlines

Air travel can be a hassle. Delays, bad service, bad food, and cancellations can make you shudder at the thought of even getting on a plane. While there are few good airlines out there, the majority are average and there are just some that should just be avoided:

Air Canada
Despite spending a lot of money to upgrade their fleet, Air Canada is still awful. Old planes with one big movie screen still dominate their fleet. The food tastes like it was cooked a few years ago and the flight attendants are surly. There are groups all over the web dedicated to highlighting how bad Air Canada can. The facebook group “I’d rather walk than fly Air Canada” has 1,900 members.

Source: 1

American Airlines
It’s canceling flights, cutting routes, firing employees, and charging you more money for fewer services. American has had a bad reputation for awhile and recent changes in their service will have you wishing that you took any other mode of transportation.

Source: 1

Philippines Airlines
Old planes make this airline one to avoid. The service is average and the planes don’t have personal screens. They look old and they feel old. You’ll barely see the movie screen while you shift around in seats older than the subtitled movie you’re watching. While the seats can be cheap, it’s an awful ride.

Source: 1

Air China/China Eastern
Chinese airlines have a bad reputation among frequent fliers. I know frequent fliers who will pay triple the price to avoid one of these airlines. Old planes, poor service, and bad maintenance make flying these planes risky. They have awful service records and frequent problems. You can fly on them for cheap but why risk it?

Source: 1

Gulf Air
Its flights may be cheap but you get what you pay for. Flights are frequently delayed or canceled without reason, the meals are poor, and the staff is unfriendly. Moreover, you won’t be compensated for any lost time and the staff will do nothing to accommodate you. In fact, they probably could care less. Gulf Air needs to take some lessons from its neighbor Emirates and learn what flying is all about.

Source: 1

US Airways
US Airways is ranked as having some of the worst service out of any American carrier. US Airways is now charging you for water and snacks. That’s fine and expected on a low cost carrier but not when you are still paying a full fare. Planes are late or delayed, the staff is unfriendly (you’d be too if you made what they made), and meals no longer exists. Now they’re raising fares and cutting routes too.

World's best airlines

From the most spacious first-class seats to prime spots for pre-flight pampering, check out our guide to the sky's finest fliers.

Best First-Class
An unparalleled level of luxury awaits first-class fliers of these ten airlines.

In Pictures: Best First-Class

Best Business Class
More legroom, flat-bed seating and brasserie-style meals. Business class flyers of these top airlines are enjoying that and more.

In Pictures: Best Business Class

Best Low-Cost Airlines
These carriers are knocking the big guys out of the sky, with longer routes, often better service and rock-bottom prices.

In Pictures: Best Low-Cost Airlines

Best Business Class Lounges
Waiting at the airport can be torturous, unless you're in one of these lounges, recently named the best in the world.

In Pictures: Best Business Class Lounges

Top Tips For First-Class Upgrades
More legroom, on-board massages, full, flat beds. What could be a better way to fly? When you can score these amenities via upgrade.

In Pictures: Top Tips For First-Class Upgrades

Most Rewarding Frequent Flyer Programs
Airline rewards programs aren't what they used to be. Amid the changes, here's how to know which one is right for you.

In Pictures: Most Rewarding Frequent Flyer Programs

Most Spacious Seats In The Sky
The competition for providing the most comfortable business-class airline seats is heating up. The only loser? Jet lag.

In Pictures: Most Spacious Seats In The Sky

P.I.A

Preference

What airline do you prefer to fly and why? Have your say below.

Each year London-based consultancy firm Skytrax (www.airlinequality.com) polls millions of passengers around the world to find out which airlines are the cream of the crop.

According to their most recent survey released in 2007 the winners were:

1. Singapore Airline
No stranger to awards, Singapore Airlines snatched the overall Airline of the Year title for the quality of both its economy and premium class services. From top-notch food to friendly flight attendants, any long-haul flight on this airline, which flies more passengers every year than the entire population of Singapore, is bound to be a pleasurable experience.

Website: www.singaporeair.com

2. Thai Airways
Jumping up from fourth position in 2006, Thai Airways came in second place overall. Famous for its in-flight service and well-dressed cabin crew, the airline also won the Best First Class Lounge award for its lounge at Bangkok Airport which includes a Royal Spa complete with sauna and yoga classes. Oh to travel first class!

Website: www.thaiair.com

3. Cathay Pacific
A former title winner, Cathay Pacific performed well overall ranking in the top four or five positions in almost every section of the survey. The flagship carrier of Hong Kong is also one of only six airlines worldwide to carry Skytrax's prestigious five-star rating.

Website: www.cathaypacific.com

4. Qatar Airways
A relative newcomer, Doha-based Qatar Airways has drawn plenty of attention for its international service. While economy class passengers are treated to excellent in-flight service, with the airline taking out the Best First Class Airline tag, it's the first class passengers who, as usual, remain king.
Website: www.qatarairways.com

5. Qantas
Long celebrated for its exceptional flight safety record, Qantas has dropped from second place in 2006 to fifth place. Australia's leading airline, however, consistently performs well and its budget domestic carrier, Jetstar, was named the World's Best Low-Cost Airline.

Website: www.qantas.com.au

6. Malayssia Airline
Moving up three places from the previous year, Kuala Lumpur-based Malaysia Airlines also regained its crown for the world's Best Cabin Staff Award, snatched away by Thai Airways in 2006. Along with Cathy Pacific, it is one of only six airlines worldwide to hold Skytrax's five-star rating.

Website: www.malaysiaairlines.com

7. Air New Zealand
At last, New Zealand's flagship carrier has finally nudged its way into Skytrax's top 10. Long recognised locally for its quality passenger service, it's good to see this Kiwi icon taking on the world's best.

Website: www.airnewzealand.com

8. China Airlines
A surprising addition to this list is state-owned China Airlines, which in fact moved up two places
Website: www.china-airlines.com

9. Emirates
Consistently cited as one of the world's best airlines, Emirates is the largest Middle Eastern Airline. Based in Dubai, most of its flight attendants are recruited from overseas.

Website: www.emirates.com

10. British Airways
Relying too heavily on past reputation, British Airways has slipped from its first place ranking in 2006 all the way down to 10th position. The founding member of the Oneworld travel alliance obviously needs to lift its game if it wants to regain the top spot.

Website: www.britishairways.com