Air Serbia and Croatia Airlines have been named among the leading carriers in their respective regions at the 2026 World Airline Awards, organised by Skytrax. However, changes to Skytrax’s geographic classifications and the number of airlines included in make direct comparisons with last year more difficult. Air Montenegro, which featured in the previous two editions, has not appeared within any category.
Air Serbia was voted the second-best airline in Eastern Europe, improving from third place last year. It ranked behind airBaltic and ahead of Georgian Airways, Bulgaria Air and TAROM. However, three carriers that were previously included in the category - LOT Polish Airlines, Wizz Air and Croatia Airlines - have been moved to a newly introduced Central European ranking. Croatia Airlines placed third in the Central European category, behind LOT Polish Airlines and Wizz Air. Skytrax listed only those three carriers in the ranking. The Croatian flag carrier was seventh in Eastern Europe last year, while LOT and Wizz placed first and fourth respectively. Skytrax has not provided an explanation for the geographic reshuffle or why only three airlines were included in the new Central European table.
The classification is also applied inconsistently across the awards. In the regional cabin crew rankings, Croatia Airlines continues to be grouped under Eastern Europe. It was named the region’s second-best carrier for cabin crew, behind airBaltic, while Air Serbia placed third. Air Montenegro does not feature in any of the published 2026 rankings. The carrier placed tenth in Eastern Europe in both 2024 and 2025.
Air Serbia maintained a strong showing in the regional airline categories. It was named the third-best regional carrier in Europe, behind Aegean Airlines and Air Dolomiti, retaining the same position as last year. Globally, it improved from eighteenth to seventeenth place among regional airlines. However, the Serbian carrier dropped out of the world’s top 100 airlines after making its first appearance in the ranking last year, when it placed 99th. Neither Croatia Airlines nor Air Montenegro featured in the top 100.
Singapore Airlines was named the world’s best airline for the sixth time in the history of the awards, moving up from second place last year. It was followed by 2025 winner Qatar Airways, while Cathay Pacific retained third place. ANA All Nippon Airways and Turkish Airlines completed the top five. Turkish Airlines was also named Europe’s best carrier, ahead of Air France and Lufthansa, while oneworld was voted the world’s best airline alliance.
The 2026 World Airline Awards were presented at a ceremony in London yesterday. The results were based on an online passenger survey conducted between September 2025 and August 2026, covering more than 300 airlines. Travellers from over 100 nationalities participated. Skytrax says the awards are independent, with no entry or registration fees, sponsorship or payments required from airlines. Survey submissions are screened, with duplicate, suspect and ineligible entries removed. Despite their prominence, the Skytrax rankings have faced criticism over their transparency. The organisation does not publish detailed vote totals, airline-specific sample sizes, scores or the weighting applied to individual survey categories.
SkyTrax is a joke in the aviation industry.
ReplyDelete+100
DeleteComplete non sense.....
DeleteWhat are the retained criteria to compare LOT and Wizz?
Congratulations
ReplyDeleteCroatia Airlines placed last in Central European ranking.
ReplyDeleteIf airBaltic doesn't emerge from bankrupcy, Air Serbia will be number one in Eastern Europe category.
ReplyDeleteThe list aint long
DeleteIt’s unexplainable how Air Baltic is eastern, while OU is central European airline. Geography isn’t the matter here
Delete@9:22 List is much longer than for Central Europe
DeleteWhy is it unexplainable? Croatia is west of the baltics. Even Bosnia is west of Latvia.
DeleteBecause OU is central, not Western Europe. There is a huge central gap between Croatia and Baltics
DeleteMost Europeans, especially those who we call western Europeans do not make a strict geographical separation between Eastern and Western Europe but more of a cultural one.
DeleteEastern Europe is everything eastern from Berlin and Vienna.
DeleteSkyTrash
ReplyDeleteJU bragged about their Skytrax rating some years ago so obviously they disagree with you.
DeleteEvery airline brags if they received a skytrax award.
DeleteEveryone knows for years that Skytrax awards are bought for.
DeleteIf you know that, present evidence.
Delete^ Dude everyone does know that.
DeleteI have seen many airlines braging about their Skytrax performance in the last few days. Obviously for anon 9.19 only Air Serbia is not allowed to because he says so.
Delete@Anonymous 09:21
DeleteActually major airlines do not.
Really?
DeleteQatar Airways
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Thai Airways
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Singapore Airlines
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AirAsia
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Turkish Airlines
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Saudia
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Qantas
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And the list goes on and on. But I am extremely glad you know better.
Air Serbia not being in top 100 is extremely embarrassing for them especially when you read their PR statements and especially those by their CEO. I guess serving 5 day old sandwiches and having old cabins isn't a formula for success.
ReplyDeleteYour obsession with their CEO is something you should start being concerned with.
DeleteAir Serbia certainly placed better than ExYu competitors in their respective regions, also placed third in Europe among regional airlines in Europe, where other two ExYu airlines are nowhere to be found. Apparently having a brand new cabin doesn't beat Air Serbia overall service.
DeleteThere is no obsession with the CEO. He makes all the decisions and his work is shown in this ranking. Who are we supposed to blame? The lady working the night shift on the check in?
DeleteWell JU and OU are not in the same category so we don't know. Also if their goal is to be number 1 in ex-YU then the bar is set really, really, really, really low.
Both JU and OU are regional airlines in Europe. In that same category, Air Serbia is third but Croatia did not make the cut.
DeleteInstead of saying congratulations, some people here are full of misery, hatred and self loathing from the moment they open their eyes.
ReplyDeleteActually, it’s just one person. HIM
DeleteI always congratulate medal winners, also when you finish dead last but still walk away with a bronze medal.
Delete