whos best????

[ianthe plumb]

Hi there just wondering who is the best airline,were booking our hols for next year to the maldives,and have a choice of carriers...Emirates,Qatar,orSri Lankan airways...does anyone know who is best?only �100 difference for the 3 but dont know what to choose.thanks in advance ian the plumber

[davidanthony]

Ian without doubt Emirates are by far the best and most experienced. Emirates Airline is predominantly managed and staffed by Brits.

[jno]

Emirates is one of the top airlines anywhere.

[stevie_c2it]

Agree with comments about Emirates, would put Qatar as a good second. In my experience, Sri Lankan was just avarage.

[KARL]

Ah, Emirates. No, I don't agree that they are better than any of the other well known carriers - and I travel a lot. My family and I have used Emirates on different routes and had just as much (maybe even more) inconvenience with them as other airlines. Examples: Travelling economy I and others around me have been refused anything to drink throughout the entire flight (not alcohol, soft drinks, juice, coffee, tea or water - the food was served with a tiny cup of water) because the cabin crew screwed up on their timings and eventually it was time to land - on a two hour flight. Travelling business class I have had no refreshments at all before departure (where the airport had no lounge, but there was a cafeteria) and on a long haul flight via Dubai my family were put up in there overnight in a hotel that was so apalling that my son's room still had the previous occupant's half-empty beer glass and full ashtray (the complaint to Emirates was fought off with vigour) - my family declined the offer of accomodation on the return in favour of sitting it out at the airport. If I were to punt on a choice right now, I would try Qatar - they are new and busy establishing a reputation. Emirates got their reputation from "trying harder" (an old BA slogan that was put into practice and worked, the next slogan was "world's favourite airline") but once established the reputation is exploited and in practice is at serious risk of becoming just another myth. People accept what they are told and it takes a lot of "reality" to shake that. No airline is perfect, certainly not Emirates - in my opinion pretty average among well known airlines.

[KARL]

By the way, Sri Lankan is (I believe) majority owned by Emirates Airline. They have a very close relationship.

[jno]

sorry to hear Emirates is losing the plot; if so then KARL's point about Qatar being new and trying harder is sensible.

[SteveD]

Have a look here:

http://www.airlinequality.com/index.htm

Click on "Airlines" then "Passenger opinions".