Travel
Singapore Airlines, Emirates, British Airways: The best and worst airlines according to passengers
A survey has named and shamed the best and worst airlines operating to and from the UK, and the results are surprising.
British Airways is terrible value for money, has uncomfortable seats, and lousy food and drink. That’s according to the results of an annual passenger satisfaction survey conducted by UK consumer group Which?.
The survey of more than 7,000 passengers taking 9,000-plus flights, ranks airlines based on customer feedback on various areas, including boarding and booking processes, and the experience in the cabin. It also uses data from the UK Civil Aviation Authority to establish how many flights were on time or cancelled.
According to this year’s survey, BA and Air Canada are the worst long-haul airlines in the world, scoring an overall 62 per cent customer rating. Conversely, the top-performing airlines like Emirates, Qantas and Etihad all scored over 70 per cent, and the best-ranked carrier – Singapore Airlines – scored 81 per cent.
“There’s a clear disparity between airlines at the top and the bottom of the rankings,” says Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel. “Some airlines seem to think they can get away with treating their customers badly, knowing they are unlikely to face consequences in a sector with weak regulations.”
British Airways says the results are “entirely at odds” with the feedback it gathers itself from its own passengers. It points out its £7 billion (€8.44 bn) investment in improvements, and says customers are “already seeing the benefit.”
On the short-haul side, budget giant Ryanair scored the lowest, with a 49 per cent customer score. Which? noted that, despite being a value-for-money proposition, Ryanair “got a mediocre two stars for value for money.”
The consumer group quoted a Ryanair passenger as saying, “You think you are getting a fairly cheap flight only to find that you have to pay extra for everything. I would rather the price was higher but not have to pay to take on a cabin bag.”
But the Irish low-cost has hit back, saying the results are not representative of the millions of passengers who choose to fly with it each year.
“Ryanair this year will carry 200m passengers, all of whom (like us) ignore these fake Which surveys, and your invented passenger quantities,” Ryanair stated. “Not one of our 200m passengers wish to pay “higher prices” as you falsely claim. More Which rubbish.”
Which airlines were ranked the best to fly with?
At the top of the table, Singapore Airlines achieved a consumer score of 81 per cent, getting five stars for customer service, cabin environment, cleanliness and boarding process.
Etihad scored one percentage point more than Emirates at 78 per cent, to take second place. However, Emirates ended up being the long-haul Which? Recommended Provider (WRP) for one good reason.
Emirates is one of a few long-haul airlines that doesn’t automatically cancel your return ticket if you miss your outbound flight. Known as a ‘no show’ clause, both Etihad and Singapore Airlines missed out on the WRP status due to this practice.
In the short-haul market, the survey concluded Jet2 was rated the best airline with a customer score of 80 per cent. Passengers praised its booking process, helpful staff and low cancellation rate.
British regional airline Loganair scored well at 72 per cent, with five stars for customer service. Scandinavian airline SAS took third place with just one percentage point less, helped by its impressive 77 per cent on-time flight record.
Are British Airways and Ryanair really that bad?
Being named and shamed is never pleasant for any brand, and both Ryanair and BA have hit back at the accusations from the Which? survey.
British Airways, in particular, is spending a great deal of cash on improving the experience for its passengers, investing over €8 billion in new cabins, technology, operational improvements and lounges. A key investment has been the rollout of free WiFi messaging for all passengers on all flights – a significant benefit in today’s connected world.
The Which? survey highlighted the plight of a British Airways customer who had waited for nine weeks for a refund for a cancelled flight. However, the route she was flying was not operated by BA, but by its partner airline Aer Lingus, therefore the refund process lay with them.
At the 2024 Skytrax awards – the ‘Oscars of aviation’ – British Airways was named the world’s most family-friendly airline. In the same year, it won best short-haul airline at the Business Traveller Awards and was voted Most Trusted Airline Brand in a survey by Newsweek.
“There is always room for improvement and we know we don’t always get things right,” British Airways admits. “But we’re proud of the progress we’re making and will continue to focus on delivering the best possible service for our customers.”
As airlines have raised in the past, the sample size for the Which? survey is very small. For an airline like BA, the opinions of the 253 long-haul travellers included in the results represent a tiny percentage of the total number of passengers it carries each year. For Ryanair, the 1,027 people who fed back to Which? are 0.0005 per cent of its customers.
With a customer score of 51 per cent, Wizz Air was second to last in the short-haul rankings. Like Ryanair and BA, it has lamented the small sample size.
“Wizz Air flew over 12 million passengers in the UK over the last year and Which? only surveyed 109 Wizz Air customers – less than 0.001 per cent of our customer base,” the airline says. “It is therefore not a fair or accurate representation of Wizz Air’s industry-leading operational performance and significantly improved customer service.”
What are the top tips for airline passengers?
While the efficacy of the Which? survey is up for debate, the ranking does give some nuggets of useful information. Most notable is the ‘no show’ clause, which is certainly one to watch out for when booking long-haul flights.
Just like Emirates, Virgin Atlantic and BA won’t cancel your return ticket if you miss your outbound flight. However, all three airlines say it’s important to let them know as soon as possible that you won’t make your outbound flight so they can preserve the return portion.
When it comes to low-cost airlines, it pays to know what you’re getting into. Customers may complain about paying for bags and seat selection, but that’s the deal here – a bargain basement flight with no frills. Everything additional will mean additional spending.
And finally, if you’re planning to book a flight from Europe to the USA, it pays to fly with a European airline. Even on return flights, you’re covered by the strong consumer rights protections of the EU, including up to €600 if your flight is severely delayed or cancelled.
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By Euronews Travel
Published on
Norway is set to become the latest European destination to introduce a tourist tax to combat concerns about rising visitor numbers.
Lawmakers approved the new levy on Thursday, which allows municipalities to introduce a 3 per cent tax on overnight stays in “areas particularly affected by tourism”.
The law allows local authorities to apply the tax at their own discretion, and it will be added to accommodation charges. Authorities will also be allowed to adjust the percentage based on the season.
The funds raised by the tax will be used exclusively to improve tourism infrastructure projects that benefit both visitors and local people. Municipalities will have to demonstrate that their facilities are inadequate and have their plans approved by the government to spend the funds.
Cecilie Myrseth, Norway’s minister of trade and industry, said on social media that her government had reached a “historic agreement” to introduce a tourism tax that was “in line with what they have in the rest of Europe”.
The country is the latest in a string of European nations introducing or increasing visitor levies to tackle the growing problem of overtourism. A tax may also be applied to cruise ships that make stops in the country, particularly in areas that are most affected by overtourism.
Norway is experiencing a tourism boom
As tourists increasingly choose cooler, northern European destinations to get away from the heat, Norway has experienced a boom in visitor numbers.
Last year, a record-breaking 38.6 million people booked accommodation in the country. That includes more than 12 million overnight stays by foreign tourists – a 4.2 per cent increase from 2023.
Some previously quiet destinations have been overwhelmed, like the Lofoten islands, where eye-catching images of hiking trails posted on social media have led to an influx of visitors. With a population of 24,500 people distributed across several small towns and villages, keeping up with the cost of all these new visitors has been hard.
A recent survey by industry organisation Norwegian Tourism Partners found that 77 per cent of people in Tromsø, in northern Norway above the Arctic Circle, thought there were too many tourists there. Visitors have been drawn by the Northern Lights, wildlife excursions, Sami cultural experiences and what the city itself has to offer.
The increase in tourism has caused tension with local residents across Norway as infrastructure has struggled to keep up with the boom. Facilities like public toilets and car parks have been overwhelmed in popular destinations.
Some residents have even reported cases of people using their back gardens as toilets, and bemoaned the increased traffic clogging up Norway’s roads.
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As millions of holidaymakers prepare to head to the Canary Islands this summer, authorities have issued a wildfire pre-alert across the archipelago.
The warning, announced by the General Directorate of Emergencies on Sunday, applies to tourist hotspots El Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife and Gran Canaria.
It comes as the islands enter a high-risk fire period following the wet season, as hot, dry winds known as the ‘calima’ begin blowing in from the Sahara Desert.
Fires are common, but they haven’t slowed tourism
The risk of wildfire is nothing new for the Canary Islands.
The volcanic terrain, Mediterranean climate and fire-adapted vegetation – plants that have evolved to thrive in fire-prone environments – make them susceptible to summer blazes, and scientists say wildfires are part of the archipelago’s ecological rhythm.
Some of the worst occurred in 2023, when forest fires ravaged Tenerife, destroying more than 15,000 hectares of land and forcing 12,000 people to evacuate. The blaze was later found to have been started by arsonists.
This year, officials are urging tourists and locals alike to take extreme caution, warning against launching fireworks near forests and discarding cigarettes on dry ground.
But even as the fire warnings roll in, the Canaries’ appeal shows no signs of slowing down.
In 2024, the islands welcomed nearly 18 million tourists, including a record-breaking 15.5 million international arrivals. Among them, British travellers led the way, recording 6.3 million visits – up 500,000 from 2023.
Concerns about overtourism mount amid record arrivals
While the Canary Islands continue to attract record numbers of tourists, residents are increasingly voicing concerns about overtourism.
In April 2024, tens of thousands of islanders participated in protests, holding signs that read “the Canary Islands have a limit” while rallying against rising housing costs, environmental damage and the strain on public services.
Over Easter this year, about 80,000 hospitality workers in Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierrowalked out in a dispute with unions over pay.
The surge in short-term rentals has been especially contentious. Locals have reported getting priced out of their neighbourhoods as properties are converted into holiday lets, the cost of living soars and wages stagnate.
Despite these concerns, tourism remains a significant part of the Canary Islands’ economy, accounting for approximately 35 per cent of its GDP.
Tenerife still reigns supreme
After welcoming seven million tourists in 2024, Tenerife remains the most visited island.
Its year-round sunshine and wide beaches keep it a firm favourite among families, especially during the UK’s summer school break and throughout the winter months.
As the peak summer season picks up, local tourism boards have made no indication that the fire pre-alerts will disrupt travel plans.
But authorities remain focused on prevention this year.
More than 2,000 firefighters are on standby. Meanwhile, the government has distributed detailed safety advice, urging people to prepare a go-bag, stay informed and follow emergency evacuation or shelter-in-place instructions if fires erupt.
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Travel
Violent turbulence hits Ryanair flight in Germany, forcing an emergency landing and injuring 9
By Euronews Travel with AP
Published on
Severe storms in southern Germany forced a Ryanair flight to make an emergency landing late Wednesday after violent turbulence injured nine people on board, German police said in a statement Thursday.
The flight, travelling from Berlin to Milan with 179 passengers and six crew members, encountered turbulence so intense around 8:30 pm that the pilot was forced to make an unscheduled landing at Memmingen Airport in Bavaria.
Eight passengers and one crew member were hurt.
Three people were taken to the hospital in Memmingen for treatment; the other injured people were released after receiving outpatient treatment. As a precaution, all passengers were checked for injuries by the emergency services.
Authorities did not permit the plane to continue flying, and the airline arranged bus transport for passengers. Milan is about 380 kilometres south of Memmingen.
More bad weather expected in Germany
Elsewhere in the region, storms damaged several homes in Ulm, Baden-Württmberg, according to the German news agency dpa.
In the Donaustetten district, strong winds tore roofs off multiple row houses, rendering them uninhabitable, though no injuries were reported. Fire officials suspect a small tornado or waterspout caused the damage. The German Weather Service (DWD) is investigating, according to dpa.
Storm-related emergency calls also came from other areas in southern Germany, where damage was mostly limited to fallen trees and flooded basements.
The DWD warned of further storms on Thursday, 5 June, with hail, strong winds, and localised heavy rain expected.
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