The Best Airlines for Customer Satisfaction Revealed – UK Carrier Tops the List
THE best airlines according to British holidaymakers have been revealed – and a UK carrier came in no.1.
Jet2 – The Top Choice for Short-Haul Flights
The annual study, conducted by Which? looks at a number of criteria to determine the overall customer happiness across 10,775 flights.
This includes seven criteria – seat comfort, cabin cleanliness, boarding serving, cabin environment, food and drink, customer service, value for money.
And coming on top of the short-haul airlines was Jet2, ranking 81 per cent for customer score.
It was given five stars for its customer service, with four stars for boarding, cabin cleanliness, and environment, and four for value for money.
Flights can be found for as little as £30 with the airline, flying to more than 65 destinations.
It also had 68 per cent of flights on time, coming between the highest (85 per cent for Iberia) and lowest 51 per cent (TUI Airways).
Delays were some of the lowest too, with last-minute cancellations around 0.5 per cent.
Passenger Testimony
One Jet2 passenger told the survey: “I have always found Jet2 staff, on the phone or in person, to be exceptional in all respects.
“They set the benchmark against which I judge all other companies.”
Runner-Ups and Bottom of the List
Coming in second place was Icelandair with 74 per cent customer satisfaction, a five-star rating for clean cabins, followed by Norwegian, also with 74 per cent and five stars for customer service.
Coming at the bottom of the list was Wizz Air, with 44 per cent satisfaction from passengers and just one and two stars across the criteria.
Industry Expert Commentary
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: “Airfares 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.
“While the likes of Jet2 continue to excel in this regard, our survey shows that passengers of many airlines are sadly being shortchanged – with high rates of last-minute cancellations, abysmal customer service, and sneaky extra fees for luggage hiking up the final price.”
Honorable Mentions and Long-Haul Standouts
The best long-haul airline was Singapore Airlines, with an 83 per cent satisfaction rating, followed by Emirates (81 per cent) and Virgin Atlantic (76 per cent).
At the bottom of the table were Lufthansa (56 per cent) and Air Canada (58 per cent).
Future of Air Travel
However, your flights could be about to get more expensive.
Airlines are getting stricter with seat fees, with some charging passengers to reserve one – even in business class.
While it isn’t mandatory to pay for seats, a rising number of airlines are tacking on the fee for passengers wanting to sit with their friends and family.
Airlines are also cracking down on hand luggage, with one expert calling to scrap overhead lockers altogether.
Top Airlines for Customer Satisfaction Ranking
Short-haul
- Jet2 – 81 per cent
- Icelandair – 74 per cent
- Norwegian – 74 per cent
- Turkish Airlines – 73 per cent
- Logan Air – 72 per cent
- Swiss – 71 per cent
- Finnair – 68 per cent
- TAP Portugal – 67 per cent
- Aer Lingus – 66 per cent
- Air France – 65 per cent
- SAS Scandinavian Airlines – 64 per cent
- Aegean Airlines – 63 per cent
- KLM – 62 per cent
- easyJet – 59 per cent
- TUI Airways – 59 per cent
- Air Malta – 58 per cent
- Lufthansa – 57 per cent
- British Airways – 56 per cent
- Vueling Airlines – 53 per cent
- Iberia – 49 per cent
- Ryanair – 47 per cent
- Wizz Air – 44 per cent
Long-haul
- Singapore Airlines – 83 per cent
- Emirates – 81 per cent
- Virgin Atlantic – 76 per cent
- Qatar Airways – 74 per cent
- Qantas – 71 per cent
- Etihad Airways – 70 per cent
- Malaysia Airlines – 69 per cent
- KLM – 68 per cent
- Aer Lingus – 66 per cent
- TUI Airways – 65 per cent
- United Airlines – 64 per cent
- Delta Airlines – 61 per cent
- Air France – 60 per cent
- American Airlines – 59 per cent
- British Airways – 59 per cent
- Air Canada – 58 per cent
- Lufthansa – 56 per cent
Challenges in Air Travel
With passengers wanting to save money, one of the easiest ways is to not check a suitcase in – which has led to crammed plane lockers.
This can lead to huge delays for airlines, and even arguments on the plane.