National carrier Kenya Airways (KQ) has dropped five positions to be ranked as the 90th best airline in the world at the recently held Skytrax World Airline Awards held at the Paris Air Show last week.
KQ was ranked at number 85 in last year’s event and the fall comes despite efforts by the carrier to introduce new routes to the United States, Rome, Italy, Geneva and Switzerland.
KQ, which is 48.9 percent owned by the Kenyan government has been battling debt for the last few years. As at December 2018, the company had registered a Ksh.7.55 billion loss. The loss was however an improvement from the Ksh. 9.4 billion posted in 2017’s full year results. The country’s National assembly has consequently called for the nationalization of the carrier in an attempt to steer it out of losses.
Continentally, KQ’s regional rival Ethiopian Airlines was the best ranked carrier in Africa at number 44 with South Africa’s national carrier following closely at position 46 despite both firm’s recording slim drops from last year’s ranking. Local carriers Jambojet and Fly540 were also recognized as some of the best in Africa’s low cost category award.
Globally, Qatar Airways scooped the top award being named the World’s Best Airline for the fifth time since the awards were established. The carrier similarly won awards for the World’s Best Business Class, the World’s Business Class Seat and the Best Airline in the Middle East.
Singapore Airlines came in second globally and it also won a top accolade as the airline with the best cabin crew in the world. It was similarly honoured with awards for the World’s Best First Class, the Best Airline in Asia and the World’s Best First Class Seat.
The award for the cleanest airline in the world went to EVA Air from Taiwan with Japan Airlines coming in at second place.
ALSO READ: KQ flights to Khartoum back on
 has been ranked as the 90th best airline in the world at the recently held World Airline Awards.){kind=link}