Turkish Airlines has again been chosen “Best Airline in Europe” in this year’s Skytrax World Airline Awards. Turkey’s leading airline came top among European airlines for the fifth year running, beating the likes of Lufthansa, Swiss Int’l Air Lines, Air France and British Airways.

Launched in 1999, Skytrax’s World Airline Awards have become the ‘Oscars’ of the airline industry, both coveted Quality accolades and a global benchmark of airline excellence. Skytrax tracks votes from global airline customers, which annually determine the world top 100 airlines.

Customers give a score out of 10 based on their satisfaction of a range of services airlines provide, from seat comfort, to cabin staff service, airline food and beverages, in-flight entertainment and ground service.

Qatar Airlines topped Skytrax’s 2015 world rankings, with Turkish Airlines listed at fourth – up one place on its 2014 ranking. The next leading European airline in this year’s list of the World’s Top 100 Airlines was Lufthansa, which ranks 12^th in the world.

At the awards ceremony in Paris last week, Skytrax World Airline Awards also awarded Turkish Airlines the “World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge”, the “World’s Best Business Class Lounge Dining” and World’s Best Business Class Airline Catering”.

A Star Alliance member, which brings together 27 of the world’s leading airlines, Turkish Airlines has a fleet of 279 passenger and cargo aircrafts flying to 274 domestic and international destinations.

Turkish Airlines also saw its passenger numbers shoot up by 8.7% in the first five months of 2015. The carrier flew 23.2 million passengers, up from 21.4 million during the same period in 2014.