Top-Performing Airlines Benefit from Proximity to China, Says Aviation Week Study

NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Singapore Airlines is the top-ranked mainline carrier in Aviation Week's 2011 Top-Performing Airlines study, the leading annual rankings and competitive analysis for the global airline industry. Along with Cathay Pacific's second-place ranking, this illustrates a trend in the mainline/legacy category of strong performance by carriers with high exposure to the Chinese market. Meanwhile, Philippines' Cebu Air is the highest ranked in the low-cost/niche category, and Australia's Regional Express Holdings is the top regional carrier for the third year in a row.

Exclusive, in-depth details for nearly 70 airlines are available to subscribers via the Aviation Week Intelligence Network (AWIN), Aviation Week's versatile business development and intelligence tool. Basic rankings and a summary of the findings are also available in Aviation Week & Space Technology in print and online.

"As with our Top-Performing Companies study, the Top-Performing Airlines study is an integrated information solution delivered as a summary within Aviation Week & Space Technology and with the full spectrum of all the data and analytics delivered in the Aviation Week Intelligence Network, our business development database service," said Anne McMahon, group director, Information Marketing Services, Aviation Week. "The Top-Performing Airlines study goes beyond basic data to provide analysis for understanding the critical issues and changes in our industry that only Aviation Week can provide."

"Leading Asian airlines are gaining a valuable competitive advantage from their proximity to China, as this market's enormous potential transforms into rapid growth," said Adrian Schofield, Aviation Week's senior air transport editor. "Airlines with extensive Chinese links feature even more heavily in the most-improved list, suggesting that this trend will only strengthen in the future. The big question now is how long it will take China's own carriers to exploit the boom and join the Asian giants in the industry's top echelon."

Top Five Mainline/Legacy Airlines:

1. Singapore Airlines
2. Cathay Pacific Airways
3. Alaska Air Group
4. Deutsche Lufthansa
5. Air New Zealand

Top Five Low-Cost/Niche Airlines:

1. Cebu Air
2. Air Arabia
3. Aer Lingus Group
4. Southwest Airlines
5. Ryanair Holdings

Regional Express Holdings, Ltd. is the highest ranked regional carrier. Detailed scoring and the full lists are available on AWIN.

Aviation Week's highly regarded Top-Performing Airlines study identifies strong and weak performers in the airline industry. Proprietary metrics have been refined over the past 15 years with input from prominent airline analysts to include scores in five categories: liquidity, financial health, earnings performance, fuel cost management, and asset utilization. The data and rankings are a frequently cited industry baseline for determining which carriers are likely to flourish and those that are vulnerable.

For additional charts, data and analysis; the methodology; and full ranking tables with each airline's scores in five categories, visit http://aviationweek.com/awin/tpa (AWIN subscribers only). For the feature article from the July 11 issue of Aviation Week & Space Technology and top-line findings, visit http://aviationweek.com/tpa.

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, Aviation Week Intelligence Network, and MRO Links. 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 leading global financial information and education company that helps professionals and students succeed in the knowledge economy. With leading brands including Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, Platts energy information services and J.D. Power and Associates, the Corporation has approximately 21,000 employees with more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2010 were $6.2 billion. Additional information is available at www.mcgraw-hill.com.

SOURCE Aviation Week