London - A new survey by Which? has revealed the best and worst airlines to fly with and a little-known airline has beaten the big names to win the top spot in the short-haul category.
Guernsey-based Aurigny Air Services was awarded four stars for things like boarding process, legroom and punctuality.
The company has been operating flights since 1968 and flies passengers from Bristol, Manchester, East Midlands, Southampton, London Gatwick and Stansted to Guernsey, Jersey and Alderney.
It scored an impressive 87 percent overall, thanks to perks such as the fact that a 20kg hold luggage allowance is included in the ticket price and its in-flight service includes complimentary soft drinks.
Swiss International Air Lines (82 percent), Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA (79 percent) and Turkish Airlines (75 percent) completed the top four in the consumer watchdog’s poll.
It might come as no surprise to Ryanair’s more disgruntled passengers that the Irish airline came bottom of the class with a score of 32 percent. The airline scored just one star for luggage allowances, boarding process, legroom and the quality of food and drink.
But the consumer watchdog pointed out that it had not taken into account recent changes announced by Ryanair, which included a move to allocated seating and a reduction in baggage fees.
A spokesman for Which? said: “It’s possible the results could change next year. Our survey covers people’s flying experiences for the 12 months to October 2013
“Since then, Ryanair has announced a programme of changes, including a move to allocated seating and a reduction in baggage fees from January 5, 2014.”
The airline is famous for its unapologetic focus on profits and unforgiving attitude towards customer service, but it seems that Ryanair has recently decided to take a different tack with its image.
The low-cost carrier has advertised for a marketing director, reportedly to help soften its image, and is revamping its website to improve access to information for consumers and the media.
Air New Zealand (87 percent) and Singapore Airlines (87 percent) came joint first for their long-haul flights, with both airlines boasting an impressive five stars for in-flight entertainment, food and drink, punctuality and value for money.
Spanish airline Iberia landed at the bottom of the table, receiving a 28 percent customer score, 9 percent lower than Thomas Cook Airlines (37 percent) who were next worst.
The annual survey of 12 000 Which? members also rated airlines by destination.
British Airways came out on top for travel to France, Greece, Italy, Spain and Turkey, while Virgin Atlantic was rated best for America and Singapore airlines best for Australia.
The budget airlines also did well in this category – easyJet was rated the best carrier for Tenerife and Jet2.com led for Mallorca.
Which? executive director Richard Lloyd, said: “Our survey reveals the massive variation in the standard of airlines. Once you’ve chosen your destination, it pays to pick the airline that will get you there without any drama.”
Despite Aurigny’s success, Which? said it would not give the airline its Which? Recommended Provider status due to its surcharge on credit card bookings.
A spokesman for the watchdog said: “As part of our ongoing campaign against excessive surcharges, Which? reviews airline credit card charges before awarding this status.
“Aurigny plans to reduce the fee of £2 (R34) per person per one-way flight next year. Once that’s in place we will reconsider its status.” – Daily Mail