South African Airways (SAA) has been named the Best Airline in Africa in a global customer satisfaction survey. The announcement was made during the Skytrax World Airline Awards ceremony hosted at the 50th International Paris Air Show earlier today.

The Skytrax World Airline Awards are regarded as the most prestigious accolades for the world airline industry and provide global benchmark of airline excellence. This year is SAA’s eleventh consecutive year of winning the Best Airline in Africa award; making South Africa’s national flag carrier the most awarded airline on the continent.

Each year, Skytrax, an independent aviation research organisation, conducts a customer satisfaction survey among 18-million business and leisure air travellers from 160 countries to decide the award winners. The survey covers over 200 airlines, from the largest international airlines to smaller domestic carriers.

Over a 10-month period, air travellers complete an online survey questionnaire about their experience with airlines on the ground and onboard. The survey measures passenger satisfaction across 41 key performance indicators of airline front-line product and service including check-in, boarding, onboard seat comfort, cabin cleanliness, food, beverages, inflight entertainment and staff service.

“We are delighted that customers from across the world have, for 11 years in a row, voted us the Best Airline in Africa. It is a remarkable achievement that resonates with our vision, which is to be ‘Africa’s leading world-class airline’. We also acknowledge that a fundamental cultural mind-set change towards an efficient service-driven organisation is required in what is an extremely competitive industry. Hence, and in line with our long term turnaround strategy, exceptional operational and customer service will be SAA’s DNA forthwith,” said Suretha Cruse, Customer Service Executive at SAA.

South Africa Airways, www.flysaa.com