Qatar Airways named AirlineRatings.com's Airline of the Year

Qatar Airways has unseated Air New Zealand as the world's best carrier, as judged by AirlineRatings.com.

The Australia-based aviation specialist site also awarded Qatar the best Middle East airline, best catering and best business class.

Air New Zealand has been a regular winner of the top award, winning it six times, including for 2020. That title was awarded just before the pandemic hit.

AirlineRatings judges assess airlines on 11 criteria including customer reviews, product offerings, safety, fleet age, profitability and environmental leadership and now Covid compliance. Qatar Airways this year beat out Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines and Qantas for the top award.

Air New Zealand picked up best premium economy and best economy. Qantas, won best domestic airline service, and best lounges while Singapore Airlines picked up best first Class.

Virgin Australia won best cabin crew while best in-flight entertainment went to Emirates.

Qantaslink won best regional airline and VietJetAir took out best ultra low-cost airline

Excellence in long haul travel: United Airlines (Americas), Lufthansa (Europe), Qatar Airways (Middle-East/Africa), Singapore Airlines (Asia) and Air New Zealand (Pacific).

Qatar Airways group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, said receiving the awards by AirlineRatings was particularly special for his airline.

''Over the past 16 months, the aviation industry has witnessed some of its darkest days, but Qatar Airways has continued to operate and stand by our passengers despite many other airlines halting operations due the pandemic.''

Qatar Airways Qsuite won best business class. Photo / Greg Bowker

The Doha-based airline has continued to fly to New Zealand and flies to more than 140 destinations.

In March schedule analysers OAG said Qatar Airways was the largest airline in the world by available seat kilometers (ASKs), with 2.6 billion of them that month. It succeeded arch-rival Emirates as the world's biggest carrier.

While many other airlines slashed their networks, Qatar added seven new destinations in the past 12 months,

The awards are judged by global editors with more than 100 years' industry experience.

AirlineRatings.com Editor in chief Geoffrey Thomas said: "In our objective analysis Qatar Airways came out number one in virtually all of our audit criteria, which is an exceptional performance."