I think I may have come across the most ludicrous awards ever given out in travel, the 2017 Business Traveller Awards granted at a Monday luncheon in London. Many of the selections are simply self-refuting.

As you peer into the alternate universe of these awards, bear in mind that Panasonic apparently paid for this.

The Waldorf Astoria New York is chosen as the best business hotel in North America. It isn’t even open. They’ve closed it for renovation for three years. And now that it’s owned by Chinese conglomerate Anbang the President of the United States stopped staying there for security reasons (before it closed).

Waldorf=Astoria New York, Owned by Anbang. Credit: Hilton

The world’s best frequent flyer program is… British Airways Executive Club. Huh?

• Fuel surcharges on awards
  
• Super expensive premium cabin long haul awards (with awards priced on distance and first class four times as many miles as coach)
  
• Few elite benefits not extended through oneworld status to their Gold members

But then again British Airways is ranked Best Short Haul carrier. After they stopped serving complimentary meals and even hot water and charge $6 for extra strong tea.

British Airways Short Haul Business Class

And they’re given Best Airport Lounge for the London Heathrow Concorde Room which is really quite a poor lounge. It ranks in the survey above Cathay Pacific’s The Pier first class lounge. Qatar’s Al Mourjan Business Lounge in Doha, ranked third, isn’t even Qatar’s best lounge in Doha. Air France’s La Premier lounge in Paris and Lufthansa First Class Terminal in Frankfurt don’t even make the list.

British Airways Concorde Room

Hilton Honors is chosen as the best hotel loyalty program, presumably from an awards program centered around frequent business travelers yet it’s the program with the least formal benefits.

Emirates is chosen as having the world’s best first class, which is a stretch but the real laugher is that the world’s fourth best first class supposedly belongs to British Airways (fourth weakest might be plausible). Meanwhile Emirates is said to have the world’s third best business class when the majority of its fleet features angled seats, not even fully flat beds.

Singapore Airlines wins cabin staff and also best economy class, which I’d buy, they offer above average legroom and foot bars (and cup holders).

Singapore Airlines Economy

American Airlines wins Best North American Airline.

American Airlines New Boeing 737 Seats With 30 Inch Pitch

Oddly easyJet beats out Southwest, JetBlue, and Norwegian for best low cost airline (and Southwest’s and JetBlue’s costs aren’t really that low).

We’ll soon see airlines and hotels touting their accomplishment.