Worst short-haul airlines revealed by Which? - read the full list

22 February 2023, 11:41

By Kieran Kelly

@kellyjourno

Wizz Air and Ryanair are among the worst airlines for short-haul flights, according to passengers surveyed by consumer specialists Which?

According to the Which? survey of 8,046 UK adults, carried out in October 2022, Wizz Air is the worst short-haul airline, with an overall customer score of 48 per cent.

The Hungary-based airline was given just one star out of five for its overall boarding experience, cabin environment and seat comfort.

No more than two stars were awarded in any of the remaining categories, including value for money and cleanliness. The airline, which flies from eight UK airports, offers a seat pitch of 28 inches - two inches smaller than rival Ryanair.

The ranking comes after the Civil Aviation Authority expressed "significant concerns" about Wizz Air's "unacceptable" behaviour after it was found passengers were more likely to escalate complaints with the airline than other carriers.

It was also found that Wizz Air had been delaying paying money owed to its passengers.

A Wizz Air spokesman said: "At Wizz Air, we do everything possible to ensure that passengers reach their destination on time and with minimal delay.

"Wizz Air operates a fleet of brand new, state-of-the-art Airbus aircraft, with an average age of 4.6 years, which offer passengers comfort, space and modern interiors.

"The A321neo features the widest single-aisle cabin configuration with 239 18-inch-wide seats. Every aircraft is cleaned after each flight and deep cleaned every night."

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In second-to-last place was Ryanair, which had an overall rating of 52 per cent, putting the airline slightly behind Eurowings (53%) and British Airways (56%).

In first place was Jet2.com, with a score of 80 per cent, after customers awarded the airline a five-star rating for customer service, and four stars for cabin environment, value for money and seat comfort.

Making up that rest of the top five were Turkish Airlines (78%), Finnair (75%), Swiss (75%) and Aurigny Air Service (74%).

In response to Which?'s survey, a British Airways spokesman said: "We don't feel this small survey, conducted during one of the most challenging periods in global aviation, accurately represents the views of the tens of millions of customers who've chosen to fly with us over the same period.

"While we don't claim to get everything right every time, we continue to be recognised for the service we offer.

"Our customers tell us they appreciate being able to choose from a range of cabins, flying to and from central airports at convenient times of the day, plus our investment in new aircraft, new seating, wifi, new menus, the complimentary snacks and water we offer in our short-haul economy cabin, and the most generous hand baggage allowance of any UK airline."

Ryanair and Eurowings did not provide a response.

Full list (best to worst)

1. Jet2.com (80%)
2. Turkish Airlines (78%)
3. Finnair (75%)
4. Swiss (75%)
5. Aurigny Air Service (74%)
6. Norwegian (74%)
7. Icelandair (71%)
8. Aer Lingus (67%)
9. Air Malta (65%)
10. SAS Scandinavian Airlines (65%)
11. Aegean Airlines (62%)
12. Iberia (61%)
13. KLM (61%)
14. Tap Portugal (61%)
15. EasyJet (59%)
16. TUI Airways (59%)
17. Air France (58%)
18. Vueling Airlines (58%)
19. Lufthansa (57%)
20. British Airways (56%)
21. Eurowings (53%)
22. Ryanair (52%)
23. Wizz Air (48%)

Which? Travel editor Rory Boland said: "Travellers have had a torrid time in recent years, with last-minute delays and cancellations an unacceptably common occurrence.

"While airlines like Jet2.com have distinguished themselves by offering flyers excellent customer care and a reliable service, too many of their competitors continually fail to measure up.

"If alternative carriers are available for your route, avoid Wizz Air, as its poor record on customer care means you're likely to be left high and dry in the event your flight is delayed or cancelled."

Which?'s survey was based on responses from 8,046 UK adults in October 2022 about their experiences of flying in the previous two years.