“Epoch Times September 21, 2026 News” (Reported by Epoch Times journalist Zhong Yuan in Taiwan) The aviation industry research institution, SKYTRAX, dubbed as the “Oscars of the Aviation Industry,” recently held the 2026 “World Airline Awards” ceremony, where two Taiwanese airlines made it into the global top 20. Experts noted that Taiwan’s EVA Air ranked 11th globally, while Starlux Airlines ranked 13th, showcasing remarkable performance. With two Taiwanese airlines among the world’s top 13 airlines, considering Taiwan’s market size, this achievement is significant.
EVA Air stated in a press release that the airline has not only been selected as a five-star airline for 11 consecutive years but also won three global first place titles for 2026 – “Best Luxury Economy Class,” “Best Luxury Economy Class Amenity Kits,” and “Best Family-Friendly Airline.”
EVA Air garnered a total of 18 TOP 10 awards this time, and Deputy General Manager Liao Zhiwei personally went to the UK to receive the awards. Liao Zhiwei stated that this honor belongs to all EVA Air employees, and the company will uphold its core values of “Safety, Service, Sustainability,” continuously improving all services to provide the safest and most comfortable five-star service to global passengers.
Moreover, EVA Air mentioned that to continually enhance service experience and expand the global route network, a new direct flight route from Taoyuan to Delhi, India will officially commence on December 1st, providing five flights per week, further strengthening the Asian route network layout and Taiwan’s transit hub advantage.
Starlux Airlines stated in a press release that after receiving the SKYTRAX five-star airline rating for the first time in its five years of operation in 2025, it successfully retained the rating in 2026, continuing to earn the highest level of recognition in the aviation industry. The SKYTRAX five-star airline rating is based on rigorous on-site audits and comprehensive evaluations covering airport services, cabin environment, onboard services, and food quality, among other indicators.
Starlux Airlines CEO, Chai Jianhua, expressed gratitude for being honored with the SKYTRAX five-star airline certification for two consecutive years, and this year, being selected as the world’s cleanest airline. This not only affirms Starlux Airlines’ service quality but also serves as the greatest encouragement to all employees who have consistently paid attention to every detail. The “World’s Cleanest Airline” focuses on maintaining cleanliness in the cabin environment that passengers come into contact with during their journey, including cabins, seats, tray tables, carpets, toilets, etc.
Chai Jianhua stated that from the cabin environment, food service to every aspect of passenger interaction, the company always strives to provide a flying experience that exceeds expectations. He thanked global passengers for their support and employees for their frontline and backstage dedication, mentioning that in the future, Starlux Airlines will continue to focus on customer needs, continuously improving service and quality to become a reliable choice for passengers on every journey.
Yatabe Akihiko, CEO of the Indo-Pacific Strategic Think Tank and a senior media person in Japan, expressed on Facebook that Taiwan’s performance is quite remarkable. EVA Air ranks 11th globally, Starlux Airlines 13th. This means that among the top 13 airlines in the world, Taiwan has two representatives, which is not easy considering Taiwan’s market size. In individual categories, EVA Air secured the world’s top spot in “Luxury Economy Class,” 4th in Economy Class, and 2nd in Economy Class dining. Starlux Airlines claimed the first place for the “World’s Cleanest Airline” and its cabin service personnel ranked 7th in the world.
He mentioned that although China Airlines did not enter the top 20 overall ranking, its cabin cleanliness is 9th worldwide, economy class seats are 9th, showing a decent performance. This ranking indicates that Taiwanese airlines’ services, cleanliness, and dining have reached a world-class competitive level.
Yatabe Akihiko pointed out that airlines are a country’s facade. The first impression many foreigners have of Taiwan starts from the moment they step into Taiwanese airlines. Compared to world-leading airlines like Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, and ANA, there is still room for improvement in global routes, transit hubs, top-notch business class, lounges, onboard entertainment, and Wi-Fi, where Taiwan can continue to enhance.