Here are the 20 best airlines in the world

Qatar Airways has been named the Best Airline in the World for 2015 by leading aviation consumer website Skytrax.

The Gulf-based carrier was presented with the honor at an award ceremony on Tuesday at the 2015 Paris Air Show.

"I am honored to lead a company that has paved such an accomplished path to excellence, and innovation, demonstrating the team's unwavering pride in their work and the experience provided to each of our passengers," Qatar Airways Group CEO Akbar Al Baker said in a statement.

"Becoming an award-winning airline takes dedication and passion— and retaining such a ranking takes commitment, which I thank each and every team member at Qatar Airways for."

The Skytrax rankings are based on the impression of 18.9 million travelers from 105 different countries. The survey, which covered more than 245 airlines, measured 41 different parameters ranging from boarding procedures to seat comfort to the quality of service.

Here are the 20 best airlines in the world according to the result of the Skytrax survey.

20. British Airways

Previous rank: 17

Why it's awesome: Although British Airways didn't take home any superlatives at the award show, the airline cracked the top 20 list by putting in a solid performance. Skytrax reviewers gave BA consistent middle of the road ratings across the board for value, inflight entertainment, staff service, and seat comfort.

See additional airline information at Skytrax

19. Thai Airways

Previous rank: 14

Why it's awesome: Thai Airways has long been an industry leader for quality service. So it's no surprise to find the Thai national carrier so high up on the list. Though its most heralded products are its business and first-class services, fliers found their economy seats to be of high quality, as well.

Economy fliers on Skytrax also noted the crew's friendly demeanor and delectable dining options. However, some customers found the lack of seat-back-mounted personal entertainment displays on some of the fleet's older Airbus and Boeing jets to be disappointing.

See additional airline information at Skytrax

18. Dragonair

Previous rank: 28

Why it's awesome: Dragonair is Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific's regional subsidiary and is the only regional airline to crack the top 20. In fact, Skytrax named Dragonair the World's Best Regional Airline — an honor the airline also held in 2010 and 2011.

See additional airline information at Skytrax

17. Air New Zealand

Previous rank: 16

Why it's awesome: Air New Zealand achieved an impressive feat at the 2015 World Airline Awards. The Kiwi airline swept the awards the for premium economy — winning for World's Best Premium Economy Class, World's Best Premium Economy Seat, and World's Best Premium Economy Catering.

This the fourth time that Air New Zealand has won for Best Premium Economy.

See additional airline information at Skytrax

16. Virgin Australia

Previous rank: 15

Why it's awesome: As the biggest airline in billionaire Richard Branson's portfolio of Virgin brands, Virgin Australia has experienced massive growth in the Asia-Pacific market since its founding in 2000.

In typical Virgin fashion, the airline's fleet of long-haul Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 jets come with interior mood lighting and feature a state-of-the-art 9-inch touchscreen entertainment system.

See additional airline information at Skytrax

15. Air France

Previous rank: 25

Why it's awesome: Air France's 10-place improvement over the past year earned the airline the honor of being named the World's Most Improved Airline. Although the carrier has suffered through a series of labor and financial issues, the company has rolled out an impressive lineup of new product offerings. This includes the highly-impressive new "La Premiere" first class suites.

See additional airline information at Skytrax

14. Swiss International Airlines

Previous rank: 13

Why it's awesome: Swiss International Air Lines emerged in 2002 from the remnants of the now-defunct Swissair and is now a member of the Lufthansa corporate family. The Basel-based airline employs a relatively young fleet of Airbus A330-300 and A340-300 wide-body jets for long-haul routes.

Though some fliers found economy-seat comfort to be lacking, most praised the cabin crew for its friendly service and the airline for its wide assortment of complementary adult beverages.

See additional airline information at Skytrax

13. Austrian Airlines

Previous rank: 21

Why it's awesome: Though the Lufthansa-owned airline has had to work its way through a series of labor disputes, its high level of service seems to have remained intact. The Austrian flag carrier boasts a fleet of newly renovated long-haul Boeing 767-300ER and 777-200 jets flying out of its Vienna base.

Economy fliers gave the Star Alliance member high marks for its efficient and effective service, as well as the wealth of on-board dining and entertainment options.

See additional airline information at Skytrax

12. Lufthansa

Previous rank: 10

Why it's awesome: Europe's largest airline has undergone significant budget cuts in recent years, but its service and overall quality is still exceptional. In fact, Lufthansa comes close to the top of the list by receiving solid if not spectacular scores across the board.

For the most part, Lufthansa's long-haul service is very good, but, for the best results, it would be wise to aim for the fleet's newer A380 superjumbos and 748-8 Intercontinentals.

See additional airline information at Skytrax

11. Asiana

Previous rank: 8

Why it's awesome: For the second year in a row, South Korea's Asiana takes the top prize for Best Economy Class and Best Economy Class Catering. Skytrax reviewers gave the Seoul-based airline full marks for its staff service. Asiana currently operates a fleet of relatively new Airbus and Boeing jets.

See additional airline information at Skytrax