Consumer champion Which? has revealed the best and worst airlines for UK travellers, based on a survey of over 5,500 passengers. The study assessed factors including value for money, seat comfort, customer service, and punctuality.
Ryanair was ranked the worst short-haul airline, with a customer satisfaction score of just 55%. It received two stars for booking, boarding, customer service, and cabin environment, and only one star for seat comfort. One passenger complained that the plane was 'dirty and the seats are awful'.
Wizz Air followed closely, also scoring 55%, with two stars for most categories. A customer described the airline as 'consistently terrible and overpriced'. Vueling Airlines came third-worst with 63%, while easyJet scored 67% and was sixth from bottom.
For long-haul flights, Aer Lingus was the worst performer with 65%, receiving two stars for cabin environment and seat comfort. United Airlines and American Airlines scored 68% and 69% respectively.
Jet2 topped the short-haul rankings with 76%, followed by Lufthansa and Norwegian. In long-haul, Singapore Airlines achieved the highest score of 81%, earning five stars for customer service and cabin environment. Emirates and Virgin Atlantic also performed well.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, criticised budget carriers, saying: 'It's outrageous to see Ryanair and Wizz Air openly scoff at the poor experiences of their own customers.' Ryanair responded by dismissing the survey as 'made-up manufactured surveys or their fake result'.
