Gone are the days when flying time was taken as a test for your endurance. These days, from the time you check in till you get your luggage and leave the airline’s premise, the top airlines around the world, make every cent you spent on their ticket count. In the era of customer service this phenomenon is not hard to understand.

Especially on the long trips, it is imperative that the seats are comfortable, and the food is edible, at least, and the crew does not glare when you ask for a refill of your drink…it all builds up to make the whole experience either pleasant or one you never want repeated. The top airlines around the world make your flying time a matter of leisure and it shows in the reviews these airlines get from their customers. Here is a list of the top five fliers in the Asia-Pacific region based on customer reviews.

1. Singapore Airlines
Hailing from a small Asian country, Singapore Airline sure does challenge the very best in the business. The carrier’s annual passengers being more than the country’s total population is just one stat that shows its excellence. From timely arrival and boarding to on board entertainment, service and comfort, Singapore Airline is setting new standards for others to follow.

2. Qantas
Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited, or usually referred to as Qantas, is the national Aussie airline that is giving competition to the top airlines worldwide. With a strong Australian flavour to the service, Qantas has a four pronged service, ranging from the JetStar experience, where you have to pay individually for all food or entertainment on board that you utilize, to the ride with more frill in business class on the long hauls. The planes are mostly in great condition and the service is quintessentially Aussie; to the point and to the book, ‘alright mate?’

3. Cathay Pacific
The Hong Kong based carrier has a reputation for being one of the best in the world, even for rising in the ranks when the competition got tough with Qantas doing great too. The thing that lets the airline, Cathay Pacific, down is their smaller planes on some legs, which mean less leg space and a cramped feel. The planes are almost never late and the crew and on-flight meals tend to be great; with the exceptional customer service you expect from the costlier Asian airlines.

4. Qatar Airways
Not far behind the rest is the Qatar Airways. While there is room for improvement in their economy class service, the business class is said to be exceptional. In fact, their reason for scoring lower is the fact that economy passengers in the older planes have to make do with thick cramped seats, which are no match to their own newer planes with slick and slim seats in the economy class, with much better comfort levels. The food similarly tends to be better in the newer planes than in the older ones, which is another inconsistency that harms the image of the airline.

5. Thai Airways
With flight attendants dressed in the traditional Thai clothing, the airline exudes the country’s culture. They are known for their service ethics, but Thai Airways is said to be inconsistent; service is good on some flights but not on others, there is ample entertainment on some flight, for the rest you should take a book along since there is no TV. The inconsistency itself scores badly with customers. The Thai food served is reportedly good but their branching out to other cuisines fails to impress. The tickets are cheaper than competitors though, so while they look like they are trying to be in the top few, it is not completely working.

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