Jet2holidays has been ranked joint top with Kuoni in the latest Which? survey of best beach and resort package holiday providers.
In the poll, which quizzed 8,361 customers about their holiday experiences between September 2019 and September 2022, Jet2holidays and Kuoni achieved customer scores of 84%.
However, Jet2 slipped to four stars on accommodation in “an almost perfect run of five-star ratings”, Which? said. Jet2holidays’ sample size was 1,420 customers.
Trailfinders, Inghams and Hays Travel finished towards the top of the table, below Jet2 and Kuoni, but still earned Which? Recommended Provider status.
Which? described Tui’s customer service performance as being in “sharp contrast” to the likes of Hays Travel, which also has a strong high street presence, and with similarly large competitor Jet2holidays.
Tui achieved a score of 74% along with On the Beach and Expedia but dismissed Which?’s “tiny” survey.
A Tui spokesperson said: “As a multi-award winning – and the UK’s largest travel company – this tiny survey isn’t at all reflective of the feedback we receive from our customers who enjoy holidaying with us every year.
“We continue to do everything we can for our customers and look forward to delivering our brilliant holidays for them.”
Online travel agency eDreams received a customer score of 64%, with two stars for how well the description of the holidays offered matched the reality and three stars for value for money.
However, it received four stars for the accommodation it offered and the organisation of the holiday.
In a statement, eDreams said: “It is really important to be aware that eDreams does not sell traditional pre-packaged holidays.
“Many of the questions in this survey are therefore not relevant to the products and services our company provides.
“Because of this, it is not accurate to compare eDreams to other companies that specialise in a more traditional package holiday offering. eDreams provides ‘dynamic packages’, which are bespoke combinations that package flights and hotels only.”
It added: “This product is based exclusively on the components selected by the customer and is not curated nor organised by eDreams.”
The OTA went on to say that it was “incredibly proud” of the customer service it provides its 17 million customers globally.
One of the 63 respondents who travelled with Kuoni commented that the operator was “prepared to work with us to get exactly the holiday we wanted”, while another said “nothing was too much trouble – they went the extra mile”.
Jo Rhodes, deputy editor of Which? Travel, said that “good customer service puts the best companies ahead of the pack”.
She added: “With some respondents complaining that their providers were difficult to get hold of when things went wrong, Jet2holidays and Kuoni distinguished themselves by offering travellers support every step of the way.
“In 2023, those booking with Which? Recommended Providers will have peace of mind that the price they are quoted is the price they will pay, as these firms have all committed to not levying surcharges if confronted with rising costs.”