AVIATION WEEK's Top-Performing Airlines Study Indicates that Bigger is Not Always Better

NEW YORK, July 12 /PRNewswire/ -- AVIATION WEEK has released the results of its Top-Performing Airlines study, showing which airline management teams have best capitalized on opportunities during the global economic crisis. Alaska Air Group ranked first among mainline/legacy carriers; Allegiant Travel Co. is the highest ranked in the low-cost/niche category; and Australia's Regional Express Holdings is the top regional carrier. The study is included in this week's issue of Aviation Week & Space Technology, as well as in online articles and a microsite.

Strong management, regardless of size, is a primary distinguishing factor for top carriers. "Airlines with the leadership ability to maintain strong liquidity, good financial health, cost discipline and a focus on efficiency are those in the best position to take advantage of recovering demand," said Michael Lowry, Top-Performing Airlines project manager. "It is not about size—being nimble is paying off for Alaska Airlines and others."

"For some smaller airlines, steering clear of mergers and alliances has proven to be an advantage in a very difficult operating environment," said Adrian Schofield, senior air transport editor, AVIATION WEEK. Indeed, half of the top ten mainline carriers in AVIATION WEEK's competitiveness study have annual revenues of less than $5 billion, and three of these, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Copa Airlines, are not in alliances.

For this study, AVIATION WEEK's highly regarded Top-Performing Companies approach is tailored specifically for airlines. Based on proprietary data as well as insights from an advisory panel of prominent airline analysts, the PricewaterhouseCoopers-sponsored study provides a precise measure of strengths, weaknesses, and financial viability. The data and rankings are a frequently cited industry baseline for determining which carriers are likely to flourish and those that are still vulnerable based on business models, geographic regions, and the industry landscape overall.

Top Ten Mainline/Legacy Airlines:

1. Alaska Air Group Inc.
2. Singapore Airlines Ltd.
3. Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd.
4. LAN Airlines SA
5. Qantas Airways Ltd.
6. Hawaiian Holdings Inc.
7. Deutsche Lufthansa AG
8. Turk Hava Yollari AO
9. SAS AB
10. Copa Holdings, SA

Top Ten Low-Cost/Niche Airlines:

1. Allegiant Travel Co.
2. Ryanair Holdings plc
3. Air Arabia PJSC
4. Aegean Airlines SA
5. AirAsia Berhad
6. Hainan Airlines Co. Ltd.
7. WestJet Airlines Ltd.
8. Southwest Airlines Co.
9. AirTran Holdings, Inc.
10. Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA

Regional Express Holdings, Ltd. is the highest ranked regional carrier.

Launched in 1996, AVIATION WEEK's Top-Performing Companies studies identify strong and weak performers in the aerospace, defense and airline industries. Proprietary metrics have been refined over the past 14 years with input from industry leaders to include scores in five categories: liquidity, financial health, fuel cost management, earnings performance, and asset utilization.

For a breakdown of airline scores and rankings, visit http://aviationweek.com/tpa or view the Top-Performing Companies webinar on-demand, http://video.webcasts.com/events/pmny001/viewer/index.jsp?eventid=34865.

About AVIATION WEEK:

AVIATION WEEK, part of The McGraw-Hill Companies, is the largest multimedia information and services provider to the global aviation, aerospace and defense industries, and includes http://AviationWeek.com, Aviation Week & Space Technology, Defense Technology International, Business & Commercial Aviation, Overhaul & Maintenance, ShowNews, Aviation Daily, Aerospace Daily & Defense Report, The Weekly of Business Aviation, World Aerospace Database, AVIATION WEEK Intelligence Network, and MRO Prospector. The group also produces major events around the world.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies:

Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a global information and education company providing knowledge, insights and analysis in the financial, education and business information sectors through leading brands including Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, Platts, and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2009 were $5.95 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.

SOURCE AVIATION WEEK