Ryanair has been rated as the least satisfactory airline in the United Kingdom based on a survey conducted by consumer group Which?. The budget carrier ranked the lowest among nearly 30 airlines included in the survey, receiving a score of 55%. It only managed to score two stars out of five for its booking process, boarding procedures, customer service, and cabin environment, and a dismal one star for seat comfort.
A survey of just over 1,200 Ryanair passengers was conducted, with one customer expressing dissatisfaction by stating, “The plane is dirty, and the seats are awful.” In response, Ryanair dismissed the survey results, claiming that neither they nor their 208 million passengers pay any heed to such surveys, considering them to be fabricated.
Wizz Air, a rival no-frills carrier, was ranked second from the bottom, receiving two stars in all categories except for value for money, where it scored three stars. On the other hand, Jet2, a holiday airline, topped the short-haul category with a satisfaction score of 76%, earning four stars for value for money, customer service, and boarding process.
Singapore Airlines emerged as the highest-rated carrier overall, attaining an impressive overall score of 81% and leading the long-haul category. The airline received five stars for its cabin environment and customer service. British Airways achieved a score of 72% in both short-haul and long-haul categories.
The survey involved more than 5,500 British adults who flew economy class for leisure from a UK airport in the past year, covering approximately 9,500 flights. Which? highlighted that budget carriers may not always be the cheapest option due to additional fees.
A spokesperson for Wizz Air criticized the survey, pointing out the small sample size of 259 people surveyed, which they deemed unrepresentative. Rory Boland, the editor of Which? Travel, criticized Ryanair and Wizz Air for disregarding their customers’ negative experiences and emphasized the importance of considering airlines that include baggage and seat allocation in their fares for potentially better overall value.