Aviation Week Releases Top-Performing Airline Rankings

NEW YORK, July 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Aviation Week has announced the results of its annual Top-Performing Airlines (TPA) study, featuring ranking lists that are the most comprehensive guide to the relative strength of the world's airlines.

This year's overall top performer is Allegiant Air, which also wins the small carrier division. Ryanair is the best of the large carriers, and Copa Airlines is the top mid-size company. Others to excel are All Nippon Airways, which is the best large airline that is not a low-cost carrier, and Australia's Regional Express, which scores second overall despite having the smallest revenues in the study.

The annual TPA study is based primarily on financial data from the last full calendar year. Carriers are scored in six categories – such as financial health, capital efficiency and business model performance – and then ranked by total score. Only publicly traded airlines are included.

Overall, the study presents a picture of an airline industry gradually becoming healthier, with better fiscal management throughout the sector. Of the 71 airlines tracked in the TPA study, 35 improved their total score through the end of 2012. This is much better than in the previous TPA study, when only 15 carriers improved their scores. 

The results are featured in the July 1, 2013 issue of Aviation Week & Space Technology, with deeper data, analysis and expanded rankings tables available to AWIN (Aviation Week Intelligence Network) subscribers. Links to the basic rankings can also be found on our Things With Wings blog:  http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog:7a78f54e-b3dd-4fa6-ae6e-dff2ffd7bdbb&plckPostId=Blog:7a78f54e-b3dd-4fa6-ae6e-dff2ffd7bdbbPost:e8e9c929-ef76-46b9-9120-0cbec9dc8dc1

"Our airline rankings are not based on arbitrary selections or surveys, but on carefully constructed formulas with a wide range of data inputs," says Aviation Week Air Transport Editor Adrian Schofield. "The TPA study and rankings are unique, in that they compare airlines from all global regions in a truly objective manner."

Aviation Week's Top-Performing Airlines study provides a precise measure of airline strengths, weaknesses, and financial viability. It is reviewed by an advisory panel of prominent airline analysts, who also provide insights into the broader trends revealed by the study. They discuss how the data and rankings indicate which carriers are flourishing and those that are still vulnerable based on business models and geographic regions.

Airlines are ranked in three size groups, as well as overall. Despite a marked improvement among the large carriers, it's still the smaller niche airlines – such as Allegiant, Regional Express and AirAsia – that are the star performers. Four of the top six airlines overall are from the small category, and eight of the top 15.

Top 10 airline scores (all size categories)

1. Allegiant Travel Co.                    (U.S.)
2. Regional Express Holdings         (Australia)
3. AirAsia                                     (Malaysia)
4. Copa Holdings                           (Panama)
5. WestJet Airlines                        (Canada)
6. Spirit Airlines                            (U.S.)
7. Ryanair Holdings                       (Ireland)
8. EasyJet                                    (U.K.)
9. All Nippon Airways                    (Japan)
10. Alaska Air Group                       (U.S.)

About Aviation Week:
Aviation Week is the largest multimedia information and services provider for the global aviation, aerospace and defense industries. Industry professionals rely on Aviation Week for analysis, marketing and intelligence. Customers include the world's leading manufacturers, suppliers, airlines, militaries, governments and other organizations that serve this global market. Aviation Week produces data and analytics services including the Aviation Week Intelligence Network (AWIN), industry-leading events around the world, as well as ShowNews and Business & Commercial Aviation.

About McGraw Hill Financial:
McGraw Hill Financial (NYSE: MHFI), a financial intelligence company, is a leader in credit ratings, benchmarks and analytics for the global capital and commodity markets. Iconic brands include: Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Dow Jones Indices, Platts, CRISIL, J.D. Power, McGraw Hill Construction and Aviation Week. The Company has approximately 17,000 employees in 27 countries. Additional information is available at www.mhfi.com.

SOURCE Aviation Week