Jet2.com tops Which? annual airline survey with Ryanair and Wizz Air bottom

Ryanair and Wizz Air have been ranked as the worst short-haul airlines in the UK with Jet2.com the best in annual ratings published by Which?.

 

The budget rivals both finished at the bottom of the table, coinciding with many passengers realising that add-on fees mean both airlines are no longer always the cheapest option, according to the consumer champion.

 

The annual customer satisfaction survey of more than 5,500 passengers saw Jet2 top the table in the short-haul category, with Singapore Airlines top for long-haul. 

Ryanair was rated as the worst-performing short-haul airline, receiving a score of 55%, against Jet2.com with 76%.

 

Europe’s largest no-frills airline scored two stars for its booking process, boarding, customer service and cabin environment and just one star for seat comfort. 

Ryanair scored three stars for value for money, fewer than four other short-haul carriers - Jet2.com, Lufthansa, Tui and Aer Lingus.

 

Wizz Air finished second from bottom (59%), scoring two stars in the majority of categories and three stars for value for money. Customers also complained about poor customer service and a lack of communication around delays. 

 

EasyJet scored 67% overall and three stars for its booking process. The airline’s punctuality was found to have improved over the last two years and it has cancelled fewer flights. However, it received just two stars for customer service, seat comfort and cabin environment. The airline, like Ryanair, received three stars for value for money.

 

Which? has repeatedly found that the headline cost of flights from low cost airlines can rise once cabin bags are added.

 

“These prices are often not displayed until towards the end of an exhaustive booking process, making calculating the full cost time-consuming and confusing,” the consumer group noted.

 

Jet2.com, the only Which? recommended provider for short-haul travel, was found to have cancelled far fewer flights at the last minute than most of its rivals and gained four stars for its booking process, customer service and value for money. More than three quarters of passengers (76%) said that there were no problems with their flight - compared with 63% for Ryanair.

Other strong performers were Lufthansa (73%), Norwegian (73%), British Airways (72%), KLM (72%), Tui (72%), Aer Lingus (71%) and Air France (69%). 

BA scored 72% in both the short- and long-haul categories, gaining four stars for customer service.

 

Both Ryanair and Wizz Air dismissed the findings while easyJet cricitised the survey for not being representative when comparing airlines which carry far fewer passengers.

 

However, Which? Travel editor Rory Boland said: “It’s outrageous to see Ryanair and Wizz Air openly scoff at the poor experiences of their own customers.

 

“They love to blow their own trumpet about the number of passengers who fly with them, but on many routes, there is simply no other choice.

 

“Many other passengers fly with them because of the enticingly low headline fares. But ridiculously expensive charges for baggage and other add-ons mean they are no longer guaranteed to be the cheapest option.

 

“We’ve repeatedly found that airlines that include baggage and seat allocation in their fares can actually work out cheaper overall. Fly with anyone else, if you can.”

 

Jet2.com and Jet2holidays chief executive Steve Heapy, reflecting on the recommended provider status, said: “To receive this recognition from Which? is something we are extremely proud of and what makes this even better is the fact that we are the only UK-based, short-haul airline to be awarded this prestigious status.

 

“There is no better testament for our VIP customer service than this recognition, and it is a true reflection of the hard work and dedication of our brilliant colleagues who go above and beyond to look after customers.”     

 

Meanwhile, SIA received the highest customer score in the long-haul category of 81%, earning five stars for its cabin environment and customer service.

 

Other top performers were Emirates (80%), Virgin Atlantic (79%), Qatar Airways (78%), Air Canada (77%), KLM (75%) and Etihad Airways (74%). 

Emirates excelled with its smooth booking process, seat comfort, food and value for money.

 

Virgin Atlantic was praised for its staff and cabin atmosphere, outperforming transatlantic rivals such as US partner Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. The UK carrier also received five stars for customer service.

In contrast, Aer Lingus received the lowest score for long-haul travel (65%). The airline scored just two stars for seat comfort and cabin environment. However, the Irish airline managed three stars for value for money, customer service, booking process, boarding process, and food and drink. 

US airlines were also among the weaker performers, with Delta (70%), American Airlines (69%) and United (68%) all near the bottom of the table.

 

Virgin Atlantic chief executive Corneel Koster said: “This recognition reflects the care our teams put into every journey – from reliability to the premium experience our customers choose us for time and again.

 

“Being one of only two airlines to receive five stars for customer service makes this even more meaningful. A huge thank you to our teams across the business, and to our customers for continuing to place their trust in us.”