Really, I had to think about whether or not this was really newsworthy. But, well, just in case you’ve been under a rock, OAG has announced the winners of their annual airline industry awards, and once again, Singapore Airlines leads the pack as the world’s best airline. Obviously, SIA also took the prize as "Best in Asia" as well as the "Best Europe to Asia/Australasia Airline", "Best Transpacific Airline" and "Best International First Class".
Malaysian Airlines and Thai Airways were finalists in the "Best Airline based in Asia" category.
The best airport in the world is still Changi. Kuala Lumpur International Airport also made it into the list of finalists.
"Widely regarded as the industry’s pre-eminent event, the [Airline Industry] Awards recognize the most highly respected and innovative airlines and airports, based on the votes of consumers who use them the most: frequent fliers from around the globe."
Back on the road once again. This time to a completely new destination: The Maldives. I figured I might as well see it before it’s gone, and the diving is supposed to be pretty good.
I’m flying to Male via Singapore. Not the most direct route, I know, but Bangkok – Male seems to be a poorly served route. Thai Airways does not fly there at all, and Bangkok Airways only flies there a few days a week. With hotels in the Maldives being rather expensive, I didn’t want to spend any more time in them than I had to before my boat departed, so I opted for Singapore Airlines. The more direct one-stop option is through Columbo, which didn’t seem like a good idea when I booked the tickets.
Singapore Airlines lounge at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport.
I’m writing this update in transit from the SATS Premier Lounge in Singapore, which is it’s usual little slice of heaven. But, before leaving Bangkok, I got a chance to check out Singapore Airlines’ lounge there, and I must say, it’s quite a treat. It is a bit of a hike to the lounge, which is out on Concourse A, but it has a much better view than Thai’s lounge on Concourse D. The lounge is quite comfortable, with plenty of power points for laptops, which even have plugs that take the three-pronged UK style plugs that are also standard in Singapore. Of course, there’s free wi-fi, which is why you need the plugs! there are also several computers available for use if you didn’t bring yours. Although the lounge is small, there’s a nice selection of food, which includes some hot dishes. The only thing that keeps me from suggesting that this lounge might be better than Thai’s is that there’s no restroom.
More from Male, maybe…
It’s sort of a "good news & bad news" kind of week. Let’s start with the bad news:
Singapore Airlines reported that passenger loads were down 25% over what they were last year. The carrier handled 1.6 Million passengers in the 12 months up to May 2008, but only 1.2 Million in the following 12 months. This definitely explains why they’re offering some fantastic fares on long haul trips right now.
On the flip side, things are so good at low cost carrier Jet Star that they’re increasing the flight frequency between their new hub in Perth and destinations in Southeast Asia, such as Jakarta and Bali. Jet Star is one of my favorite low cost carriers, so now they have me thinking about checking out Perth next time I’m in Bali!
