This is what the world's best airline looks like (take note, BA)

Singapore Airlines has scooped the top prize at the annual World Airline Awards, based on the opinions of millions of travellers and dubbed the “Oscars of the aviation industry”, regaining a title it last held in 2008.

The Asian carrier pipped Qatar Airways - last year’s winner - to the gong, with Japan’s All Nippon Airways completing the podium.

Top 20 | World Airline Awards 2018

And what of British Airways? It wasn’t a complete disaster for the beleaguered UK carrier. It rose nine places, but remains well down the pecking order in 31st (behind the likes of Aeroflot and low-cost AirAsia). It’s all a far cry from BA’s 2006 heyday, when it topped the table.

The declining fortunes of British Airways

So what’s so great about Singapore Airlines? Can BA learn a few lessons from the Asian carrier?

First class

It won’t be of much interest to the vast majority of readers – first class travel is far beyond the reach of ordinary people. But Singapore Airlines is reputed to have the finest first class offering in the world. That’s the verdict of the World Airline Awards, which not only named it best overall, but handed it the World’s Best First Class and Best First Class Seat awards.

So let’s take a look at the new first-class seats, unveiled last year, on its A380.

The word “seat” doesn’t really do them justice – they are rooms, measuring 50 square feet apiece (up from the previous offering of 30), and contain both a leather chair, separate bed and large wardrobe. They are so spacious that, despite being found on the world’s largest passenger jet, there is only room for six of them.

There’s a credenza (because “sideboard” just doesn’t sound luxurious enough), with even more storage space – you know, for your Cartier watch and Louis Vuitton holdall. As for in-flight entertainment, the 32-inch HD screen (up from 23 inches) should suffice.

Other luxury touches come from the French firm Lalique, which provides amenity kits, pyjamas, slippers, eyeshades and socks – as well the crystal glassware that is used alongside Wedgwood crockery during meals service.

These new cabins aren’t found on all Singapore Airlines flights, of course. Its standard first class is more modest (seats are 35 inches wide and transform into a 81-inch flat bed, while screens measure 23 inches).

And what about BA’s first class? Rather than raising its game, like Singapore, it has been cutting back. Last year it was announced that some premium perks, such as free amuse-bouches with the first drink and fresh flowers in the first-class toilets, were being scrapped, while the size of complimentary wash bags has been trimmed. One cabin crew member, who had been with the airline for 12 years, said staff were “embarrassed by the state of the product. The only thing not being cut is the prices”.

As the table below demonstrates, BA’s first-class seats are significantly smaller, and its entertainment screens measure just 15 inches – eight fewer than those found on Singapore’s A380s.

First class | How their A380s compare

Business class

Singapore Airlines was handed the Best Business Class in Asia award. On its new A380s, seats recline into flat beds and couples can fuse their seats to create a shared double. Screens measure 18 inches. According to the website Seatguru, business-class seat width ranges from 30 to 34 inches on its A380 (but goes as low as 20 inches on some 777s), while pitch varies from 55 on the A380 to as much as 78 inches on some A350s.

BA’s business class - or Club World - seats tend to beat it on pitch, but not on width. Both its A380s and its 747s, for example, offer 72 inches of pitch, but only 20 inches of width. Entertainment screens are far smaller too.

Business class | How their A380s compare

Economy class

What does Singapore Airlines offer the ordinary traveller? Here’s what economy class looks like. It is the plane cabin most of us are familiar with, so let’s consider the legroom. Seat pitch of 32 inches comes as standard across all aircraft, while width ranges from 17.5 inches on the 777 to 19 inches on the A380 and the 787 Dreamliner.

BA’s economy-class seats - or World Traveller - almost always offer less space. Its A380s and 787s, for example, have 31 inches of pitch and 17.5 inches of width.

Economy class | How their A380s compare

In-flight dining

Here’s a prawn and chicken laksa, served on Wedgwood China in a first-class cabin on Singapore Airlines. Looks lovely.

Of course the economy class offerings are far less luxurious, but Singapore Airline is clearly doing its best to make plane food more appetising for all its passengers. It has a panel of “international culinary experts”, including Italian chef Carlo Cracco and US maestro Alfred Portale, and claims to test all its meals in a simulated pressurised cabin to ensure it tastes just as good at 30,000 feet.

Premium passengers on selected routes can also take advantage of its “Book the Cook” initiative. It means that, so long as you order up to 24 hours before your flight, you can choose from a wider range of main courses.

BA, meanwhile, has now scrapped free meals on all short-haul flights, and is flogging M&S sandwiches instead.

World Airline Awards | Who won what?

In-flight Wi-Fi

Those flying with Singapore Airlines, on its Airbus A350, A380, Boeing 777-300ER and 787-10 aircraft, can access the internet. It costs extra if you’re in economy, but is complimentary for premium passengers.

BA has been one of the slowest airlines to jump on the Wi-Fi bandwagon, only launching the service in April 2017. So far it has been rolled out on just a handful of aircraft, but the carrier hopes to have 90 per cent of its fleet connected by the end of 2019.

How much have plane seats shrunk since the golden age of flying?

The base

Singapore Airlines benefits from being based at the world’s greatest airport. Singapore Changi has picked up the top prize at the World Airport Awards for a remarkable six consecutive years. Why? It has a butterfly garden, for starters. Found in Terminal 3, it features flowering plants, a six-metre waterfall and 1,000 butterflies from 40 species.  

Those using Terminal 1 will have to console themselves with a cactus garden (featuring 40 species and a cocktail bar), a rooftop swimming pool and jacuzzi (from which you can watch planes taking off), a water lily garden, and the Kinetic Rain art installation featuring 1,216 polished copper raindrops.

Terminal 2 treats travellers to a collection of rare orchids, 500 bright yellow sunflowers,  decorative mosaic sculptures, and the Entertainment Deck, home to Xbox 360s and a free 24-hour cinema.

There’s also a cinema in Terminal 3. And a koi pond. And a 12-metre high slide.

All travellers enjoy free Wi-Fi (since 2002) and free city tours (if they are waiting for a connecting flight).

BA’s main base, on the other hand, is Heathrow, which came eighth in the annual awards.

Punctuality

Singapore is one of the world’s 20 most punctual airlines, with 84.07% of flights departing on time last year, according to OAG statistics. The figure for BA was 78.55 per cent.

Which airlines fly with the most empty seats?

So how can you sample the Singaporean carrier?

Its fleet of 125 aircraft serve 64 destinations, including Heathrow and Manchester, from where you can fly to - shockingly - Singapore. The carrier competes with BA and Qantas on the route.