Middle Eastern and Asian Airlines vs. Western Rivals
In the dynamic and competitive world of aviation, there is an ongoing debate about the so-called rivalry between Middle Eastern and Asian Airlines vs. Western Rivals. But what sets Middle Eastern and Asian airlines apart, allowing them to lead the way in areas where American and European carriers seem to lag?
To understand this “phenomenon” we will discuss the top airlines and narrow it down to the key challenges they are all facing.
Middle East
At the crossroads of three different continents, wouldn’t it be expected that the Middle East would be one of the world’s most prominent air travel hubs? This region plays a crucial role in the Middle Eastern and Asian Airlines vs. Western Rivals conversation, often leading the way in luxury and innovation.
Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways has been declared the “best airline in the world”, by Skytrax for four different years, most recently in 2024.
The airline pays great attention to the quality of service down to the smallest details, from first-class meals organized by world-renowned chefs to various passenger kits branded with the name of Christian Dior. In Economy Class, Qatar Airways offers comfortable seats, the best entertainment system compared to any other airline and the best service in the sky – all at the regular price of Economy Class.
Qatar Airways is a prime example of why Middle Eastern and Asian Airlines vs. Western Rivals is such a heated debate, by offering unforgettable flying experiences that create lasting memories for their passengers.
Qatar Airways’ Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner Business Class cabin, Source: Wikipedia, By Shahram Sharifi
Emirates
Emirates, owned by the government of the United Arab Emirates, was established in 1985. This company owes a good portion of its success to free access to cheap fuel and to the development of tourism and business in the United Arab Emirates.
Passengers’ experiences when using the airline’s services are incredible: from exclusive pre-departure lounges, private lockable cabins, shower cabins, food that can be compared to the world’s best cuisines – for first class passengers, to cabins additionally equipped with desk and electrical outlets built into the seat, as well as a selection of equally delicious food and complimentary drinks and cocktails for business class passengers. Emirates plays a significant role in the Middle Eastern and Asian Airlines vs. Western Rivals discussion, consistently raising the bar in luxury and comfort, leaving Western competitors struggling to keep pace.
Emirates’ fleet has an average age of about 6 years, although due to the announced deliveries of new aircraft, this figure is expected to decrease. It is interesting that there are no small planes in the fleet of this company – this company works exclusively with widebody aircraft.
Perhaps the most well-known fact about Emirates is the sheer number of double-deck Airbus a380 aircraft that it has in its fleet. In mid 2024, they had, in active use, over 100 of these airplanes, making Emirates the largest global operator of the a380.
Emirates is also one of the biggest sports sponsors in the world. Partnerships with the English club Arsenal, with one of the most trophy-winning clubs in the world – Italian Milan, and with the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are known.
First Class Private Suites on Emirates Airbus A380 (A6-EEM), Source: Wikipedia, By: Shahram Sharifi
Asia
With the boom of Asian economies over the past several decades, this continent has emerged as one of top global aviation hubs, and many asian airlines (from full service flag carriers to budget airlines) have seen immense success.
Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines has come a long way since its inception in 1972, evolving from a regional company to one of the most respected brands worldwide. It offers its services in 35 countries on six continents. Its operating model is based primarily on long-haul flights.
This company also holds the world record for the longest scheduled flight. The Singapore – New York route lasts almost 19 hours, during which approximately 16,700 kilometers/ 10,4000 miles are flown. Singapore Airlines has been part of the Star Alliance network since 2000.
Unlike other airlines whose branding and publicity revolves primarily around their planes and the services they offer, Singapore Airlines tends to emphasize its flight crew – so their promotion of flight attendants known as Singapore Girls has proven particularly successful.
Singapore Airlines 787-10 regional economy cabin, Source: Flickr, By: airbus77
Japan Airlines- JAL
With the goal of being the most valuable and desirable airline in the world, Japan Airlines has adopted the principle of providing hospitality, top quality and perfect service for each of its clients. In Japan, this translates to punctuality in flights, customer satisfaction, safety and attentive service.
Japan Airlines is very popular throughout Asia and is consistently ranked highly by Skytrax. Among the awards are those of a five-star airline, the fifth best airline in the world, and it even won first place for the best economy class in the world.
Europe
With historically important landmarks, cultural diversity and a vibrant economy creating a busting hub of global tourism and industry, Europe is a favorite of travelers all over the world.
Air France
Air France is the national airline of France. It is one of the largest and most famous world airlines. It is part of the Air France – KLM group. Air France – KLM is in first place in terms of fleet size, revenue from air traffic and passenger miles flown. The founder is the airline SkyTeam – one of the three largest global airline alliances.
Air France has direct domestic and international scheduled flights (passenger and cargo) to 244 destinations around the world. What is interesting about this airline company is that in addition to British Airways, it also owns the famous Concorde type supersonic planes, but they were withdrawn from regular traffic in 2003.
The average age of the aircraft in the fleet is 10 years. The fleet consists of aircraft models: Airbus A330/340, Boeing B777 and Airbus A380. Air France’s fleet consists of 413 planes, of which 150 are under Air France-owned airline brands. Two thirds of the planes are owned by the airline company and one third is leased.
Premium Economy seats on a refurbished Air France Boeing 777-200ER, Source: Wikipedia, By: Sidowpknbkhihj
Lufthansa
Lufthansa is the German national airline founded in 1926. Together with its subsidiaries, it is the largest airline in Europe in terms of fleet size and number of passengers. It owns two more airlines: Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) and Austrian Airlines. It is one of the founders of Star Alliance – the largest alliance of airline companies in the world. Its fleet consists of over 400 aircraft.
Its name – air (Luft) and strong trade association (Hanza) – says a lot about the company itself, because it is an organization with a long tradition and stable business. “There is no better way to fly” is the motto of Lufthansa, which tries to convey the entire vision of this airline in one sentence.
For its many years of operation, Lufthansa has won a number of awards, including: for the best airline across the Atlantic, for the best airline in Western Europe, for the best first class lounge in the world, and for the best airline on short flights.
First Class of Lufthansa’s Boeing 747-8Is in a 1-2-1 layout
America
The United States is a powerhouse in the aviation industry with its competitive and crowded network for both domestic and international travel. The U.S. airline industry has faced intense cost pressures in recent decades, leading airlines to cut back on amenities and service in an effort to reduce expenses.
United Airlines
United Airlines is one of the largest American airline companies. Every day more than 300 United airplanes take off to different destinations across the world.
United Airlines is the first American company to use biofuel on its scheduled flights. The latest information from this company talks about the introduction of more space for customers’ luggage in certain planes, which allows for a reduction in the need to check luggage, which will speed up passenger traffic as well as their improved travel experience.
Economy seating on a Boeing 787, Source: Wikipedia, By Simply Aviation
Delta Air Lines,
Delta Air Lines is one of the three largest US airlines and also one of the largest airlines in the world. This company is one of the founders of the global airline alliance SkyTeam together with its alliance partners, Air France and KLM.
Delta Air Lines flies direct to all continents. It started flying passengers in the distant 1929. Transatlantic flights began in 1978 with the first direct flights from Atlanta to London. The fleet is very diverse and includes more than 700 aircraft.
This company also has a frequent flyer rewards program, but unlike most other airlines, miles are earned based on the price of the ticket, not the length of the flight – this way, the airline rewards those travelers who spend more.
Delta One Suite, Source: Wikipedia, By Delta News Hub – Delta One Suites
So… how do these Middle Eastern and Asian airline companies do better than their American and European competitors?
It must be admitted that at the first mention of glamor, luxury, customer satisfaction, you immediately think of the Asian and Middle East airlines company known by this epithet. The fact is that European and American airlines are far behind Asian and Middle Eastern companies in many aspects, the main one being customer satisfaction. Undoubtedly, the reason for this can be found in the huge investments towards these national companies by their sponsoring governments, but something could also be said about the quality of their staff, management, and attitude towards work.
Anyone who has flown on some of the Asian or Middle Eastern airlines mentioned here would have surely noticed the difference in not only the quality of the hard product, but also in terms of the attitude. It’s hard to explain, but it simply feels like those companies just “care” so much more about their passengers. Fees and luggage rules are much more relaxed, and you see little in the way of harassment and extortion over bogus service fees- something increasingly common with Western airlines.
Something very noticeable is that U.S. and European airlines like to present themselves as cost efficient, and yet over-charge for all kinds of services- a perfect example being the additional baggage fees that surprise many passengers at the gate and not letting them board the plane if they don’t pay on the spot. This can be seen in the many videos of airline staff’s [mis] behavior circling the internet.
To top it off, some airlines also like to beat up their clients. There is a well-known case from 2017 when a passenger aboard United Airlines was savagely assaulted and kicked off-board for refusing to give up his seat after United overbooked the flight. Can you imagine something like that happening on Singapore Airlines or Emirates? Let us tell you. It would never.
