Even SkyTrax confirms it (and that's just their "overall" best): put aside the fake oil fiefdoms in the Middle East, what one sees, across the board, is that Japanese, Singaporean, Korean, Australian, and Hong Kong airlines are at the very top. What explains it? Higher expectations of their clientele? Less carrying costs in terms of pensions and medical care? Something else. I once flew ANA (Japan) and it was exceptionally good, heads and shoulders above any American airline. (The only American airline that is not a consistent embarrassment is Delta. Why?)
Does anyone in the vast and highly informed readership know why the East Asian (plus Australiasian) airlines are so much better?
