British Airways launching its latest business class Club Suite cabin, on flights between London Heathrow and Tokyo Haneda. From 31 October, it will be the only airline offering a business class suite with a full privacy door on direct flights between the UK and Japan. Club Suite has been designed to offer privacy, comfort, and space for customers wanting to work, rest, and play.  

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Chefs have designed commemorative dishes for all four cabins based on heritage menus from the airline’s enormous collection, which will be served on Heathrow to Haneda flights from September 1 to October 31. Customers will be able to experience the most popular foods served on the route in 1969 – beef stroganoff and beef cheek okaribayaki – and the airline has also produced a festive cherry meringue gateau, the characteristic dessert enjoyed by flyers on the London to Anchorage segment that same year.

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In a 1-2-1 layout, the airline’s Club Suite flat-bed seat provides direct aisle access and a suite door for increased privacy. boasting an impressive 18.5-inch in-flight entertainment screen, WiFi, a vanity stand with a mirror, and 40% extra storage. The B777-300ER* fleet’s BA6 and BA5 flights will provide the most recent business class seats. Across the Club World cabin, customers enjoy a luxurious plush pillow and warm quilt from The White Company, an amenity kit and an improved dining experience.

Customers flying in the airline’s First cabin to and from Tokyo starting on September 1 will enjoy the most luxurious service available, including custom loungewear and amenity kits created by Temperley London, a high-end British fashion label, as well as goods from ELEMIS, including the renowned ULTRA SMART PRO-COLLAGEN range and bedding made from recycled plastic bottles.

In the ever-evolving world of aviation, these awards stand as a testament to excellence, innovation, and outstanding service within the airline industry. As travelers around the globe seek ever more personalized and remarkable experiences, these airlines have risen to the occasion, setting new standards for quality, comfort, and customer satisfaction.

World class airline awards 2022 by Apex(Opens in a new browser tab)

The APEX Five Star and Four Star Airline Awards were unique since they were created solely from verified passenger reviews submitted by more than a million fliers using TripIt.

Global Passenger Choice airline Award Winners 2022 by Apex.(Opens in a new browser tab)

Here, we’ve highlighted some of the 2024 Apex Four-Star and Five-Star Airlines Awards, recognizing these airline giants and the outstanding traveler experiences they provide. Whether you are a frequent traveler or only sometimes do so, these awards highlight the airlines who have changed the definition of what it means to fly in luxury and grace.

GLOBAL FIVE STAR

• Aeromexico
• Air Canada
• Air France
• Air New Zealand
• American Airlines
• ANA
• Austrian
• Cathay Pacific
• Delta Air Lines
• EL AL
• Etihad
• Eva Air
• Finnair
• LATAM Airlines
• Lufthansa
• Korean Air
• SAS
• Swiss
• United Airlines
• Vietnam Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic

MAJOR AIRLINES FIVE STAR

• Aer Lingus
• Air Astana
• Air Tahiti Nui
• Alaska Airlines
• Copa Airlines
• Fiji Airways
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Icelandair
• Oman Air
• Royal Brunei Airlines

REGIONAL AIRLINE FIVE STAR*

• JSX 

GLOBAL AIRLINES FOUR STAR

• British Airways
• Ethiopian
• Polish Airlines
• Malaysia Airlines
• Pakistan International Airlines
• South African Airways
• Thai Airways International

MAJOR ‎AIRLINES FOUR STAR

• Aegean Airlines
• AirEuropa
• Avianca
• flydubai
• Royal Jordanian
• SriLankan Airlines

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Qantas has been absorbing a $200 million increase in fuel costs, the airline warned that if prices continue to rise, the costs may be passed on to customers and it may raise its already high ticket rates.

The airline reported in a market update that fuel costs have gone up 30% since May of this year, including 10% just in the past month. “This is driven by a combination of higher oil prices, higher refiner margins, and a lower Australian dollar,” Qantas stated.

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But Qantas asserted that it will keep an eye on fuel costs in the upcoming months and “look to adjust its settings” if they continue to be this high. Any modifications would aim to strike a balance between the need for reasonably priced travel in a situation where tickets are already high, according to Qantas.

Qantas and competing airlines use methods of hedging to control erratic pricing changes. An effort to win back consumer support that included an apology from the airline’s new CEO, Vanessa Hudson, and a commitment to rebuild the airline’s reputation after a “humbling period” is in jeopardy as a result of the warning about ticket prices.

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Analyst Owen Birrell with RBC Capital Markets predicted that the firm will likely accept the higher fuel costs “until its target margins come under pressure, and then would seek to claw back those costs through capacity cuts and higher fares.”

Given the increased competition, expanding consumer and corporate cost pressures, and incoming reinvestment in the product/platform, we don’t think a substantial earnings shift is possible going forward.

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