Yahoo Finance The 'worst' and 'best' airlines revealed
Sit back and get ready for takeoff on a Which? approved flight for your next holiday. The consumer platform ranked a number of airlines through surveys of travellers.
The study analysed more than 10,000 flights, and data from customers including evaluations of value for money, seat comfort and food and drink. A customer score was calculated based on overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend.
Jet2 impresses
Which? found Jet2 (JET2.L) had wowed customers over the last year, with an overall score of 81%. It took the top spot in short-haul flights and notched five stars for customer service.
Jet2 also has among the lowest rate of last-minute cancellations of any airlines in the survey, with just 0.5% cancelled at short notice, according to Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data.
Its performance means customers feel it offers great value for money — scoring it four stars in that category. It also received four stars for the boarding experience, cabin environment and cabin cleanliness.
Close behind with tied customer scores of 74% are Icelandair and Norwegian.
Low-flyers
In terms of short-haul airlines, Wizz Air (WIZZ.L) came out bottom for the second year in a row, with a customer score of 44%. Delays were cited as a particularly common issue, Which? said.
According to CAA data, 63% of the airline's flights were on time in the last year (October 2022-September 2023). About 2% of its flights were delayed by over three hours — higher than most of its rivals.
“We do not consider the findings of this report to be representative or an accurate reflection of our performance today, which is among the strongest in Europe," a Wizz Air spokesperson said.
"We have been honest about our performance in summer 2022, which was not up to our standards. We have invested more than £90m to rectify this and have made significant improvements which the results of this survey fail to recognise, but are evident from independent data, as well as our own."
Among budget carriers, Ryanair (RYA.IR) also received a low ranking, with a customer score of 47%. The airline scored just two stars for the boarding experience, cabin cleanliness and cabin environment, and received three stars for value for money.
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"Ryanair has industry leading punctuality with average on-time performance of 87% in 2023, despite UK punctuality being severely impacted by the inefficient NATS [National Air Traffic Services] and its incompetent CEO, whose ATC [air traffic control] system has collapsed twice this year delaying thousands of flights and millions of passengers travelling to/from the UK," the company's spokesperson said.
Iberia, Vueling and British Airways completed the bottom five for short haul, with customer scores of 49%, 53% and 56% respectively.
Fares are on the up
Which? research suggests that in many cases, the standard of service received fell well short of the mark. Many respondents reported difficulties getting hold of customer support when needed, and one in 10 (11%) of those who used email to contact an airline received no response within 90 days.
This is despite a bumper year of profits for airlines, which have enjoyed a surge in pent up demand following COVID lockdowns. According to the Office for National Statistics, average UK airfares were as much as £713 last summer.
Rory Bowland, editor of Which? Travel, said: “Air fares have soared in recent years, and the bare minimum passengers should expect in return for their hard-earned cash is a reliable service, with friendly, easy to access customer support when they are let down,"
Top five short-haul airlines
Bottom five short-haul airlines
British Airways
Vueling
Iberia
Ryanair
Wizz Air
In it for the long-haul
Which?'s data also showed Singapore Airlines (C6L.SI) and Emirates ranked among the best performers in the long-haul category, with 83% and 81% ratings respectively. Singapore scored highest for boarding, being the only long-haul airline to be given five stars.
Germany's Lufthansa (LHA.DE) and Air Canada (AC.TO) both performed poorly, with IAG's (IAG.L) British Airways also bringing up the rear. Air Canada and Lufthansa both scored poorly for seat comfort and food and drink.
Top five long-haul airlines
Singapore Airlines
Emirates
Virgin Atlantic
Qatar Airways
Qantas (QAN.AX)
Bottom five long-haul airlines
Watch: European airlines: Why Ryanair is poised to take off
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