World - Singapore Airlines, Lufthanza and Malaysia Airlines have topped international magazine Aviation Week’s Top-Performing Companies (TPC) study.
The annual review of the global airline industry ranked the three carriers as the leading three mainline carriers for 2009 with Air Arabia ranking number one in the low-cost/niche carrier category.
"The recession has grabbed hold of the airline industry, and survival is still the name of the game," says Aviation Week and Space Technology editor-in-chief Anthony L. Velocci, Jr. "This year's Top-Performing Companies review of airlines places liquidity and financial health as the top indicators for weathering further volatility in the economy and rising fuel prices. We are seeing sharp drops in scores across the board, in all regions, but with the TPC rankings, we can identify those airlines that are doing things right."
Malaysia Airlines has announced a quarterly net profit of RM876m (Approx £152m) in its second quarter. The airline attributes the highest-ever record in profit to a boost of 10 per cent in domestic load factor and an 11 per cent increase internationally.
Malaysia Airlines’ regional manager for UK and Ireland Syed Abdillah Aziz says: “Malaysia Airlines will continue to move onwards and upwards; we have already increased capacity for the domestic sector by six per cent and in 2010, will take delivery of a new B737-800.”
