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As aviation continues to evolve, certain aspects, such as the opinions of Which? members towards airlines, remain unchanged.
According to the consumer group’s report, British Airways cancelled 3% of their flights with less than 24 hours notice between September 2022 and 2023, as found by their analysis of delay and cancellation data from the Civil Aviation Authority. This information may have been previously mentioned in our passenger satisfaction survey.
Due to its location at the highly crowded London Heathrow airport, BA is particularly susceptible to disruptions caused by adverse weather conditions and incidents like the Nats August bank holiday 2023 air-traffic control system malfunction.
When the numbers shift from being based on data to being based on personal opinions, the choices of Which? members become intriguing.
Among the low-cost airlines that fly to the UK, Ryanair and Wizz Air received the lowest ratings for short-haul flights, while Jet2 ranked the highest. Despite Jet2 being based in Leeds and providing excellent service, it is difficult for anyone who has also flown with Ryanair to notice any difference in seat comfort between the two airlines. Furthermore, while Europe’s largest budget airline received only one star for comfortable seating, Jet2 received a rating of three stars.
Similarly, in the category of short-haul flights, British Airways has received a rating of three stars for seat comfort, while Wizz Air has received only one star. After recently flying on both airlines within the past two weeks, the only noticeable distinction between the two is that Wizz Air’s seats are newer.
At the same time, easyJet faces backlash for inadequate seating, subpar food, and dirty planes. Additionally, Ryanair is found to have worse value for money in comparison to Air France and Scandinavian Airlines.
Which? also hits out at “sneaky extra fees for luggage hiking up the final price” – something of a mystery to me because all the airlines in the survey specify what they charge for baggage when you book a flight.
In terms of long-distance flights, the bottom three are made up of Lufthansa from Germany, Air Canada, and British Airways. However, the top performers are as follows:
- Singapore Airlines
- Emirates
- Virgin Atlantic
Curiously, the rankings remain unchanged from a previous Which? survey conducted in 1997. The only variation is that Air New Zealand, who was also in the top four, has ceased operations to the UK and is no longer included in the survey.
Maintaining top-quality rankings is a testament to these airlines, as well as the loyalty and reliability of the Which? readership.
It is time for my personal evaluation where all airlines originating from the UK and Ireland receive a five-star rating. Ryanair and easyJet are among the safest airlines globally and offer affordable prices. I am a frequent flyer of Wizz Air, which provides exceptional service, and I also enjoy the same level of service on Jet2.
Aer Lingus and Loganair employ extremely approachable employees, as does British Airways, which offers an exceptional allowance for carry-on luggage (two bags, each weighing up to 23kg).
UK travelers flying long-haul have an advantage over others in Europe due to the intense competition between airlines such as BA, Virgin Atlantic, Singapore Airlines, and Emirates. Many thanks to all.
Source: independent.co.uk
