From booking to boarding and cabin cleanliness to customer service, why Ryanair, British Airways and Wizz air have much to learn from their rivals
Dear Rocio,
Last year our summer holiday was nearly ruined by the airline we travelled on. Ahead of booking this year’s break what do you suggest we do to avoid a repeat performance this year?
Name and address supplied
Rocio says: Which?’s latest annual airlines survey for long-haul journeys has just been released and it provides insight into the best and worst airlines.
There’s more turbulence for British Airways: it’s finished bottom for long-haul journeys.
It’s been a steep fall from grace. The nation’s flag carrier is failing to keep pace with its rivals such as Virgin Atlantic and Emirates.
In recent years it’s been circling the lower spots, touching down this time joint-last with Air Canada.
The airline’s recent IT problems won’t have helped its cause. But when respondents were asked about their experience with BA, many were dissatisfied with bread-and-butter customer service issues, such as how long it took to get in touch with a person that could help them.
Last-minute cancellations were also a theme. One passenger complained that BA cancelled their flight by text in the early hours of the morning, leaving them scrambling to rearrange their travel plans.
For short-haul airlines, Ryanair and Wizz Air finished last, both scoring just two stars for customer service and value for money. While Ryanair’s fares may seem enticing, additional extras, like paying for baggage, can end up irritating customers. Ryanair is also one of the few airlines that forces parents to pay to sit next to their children.
Some airlines have shown that it is possible to give passengers a good experience at a time when delays and cancellations are so common.
For short-haul journeys, Jet2, a Which? Recommended Provider, finished top, posting an impressive customer score of 80 per cent. The airline received five stars for customer service and was only one of two airlines (the other was Norwegian) to score four stars for value for money.
Leading the way for long haul, Singapore Airlines achieved five stars for customer service, boarding, cleanliness and cabin environment. Etihad Airways and Emirates (another Which? Recommended Provider) finished second and third, posting impressive scores for the booking process and food and drink.
As such huge disparities in the quality of customer service are laid bare, it raises the question: how can poorly behaving airlines continue to get away with it?
One answer lies in the aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), lacking the powers to effectively enforce the law.
If airlines do not put passengers who have had their flights cancelled onto the next available flight (even if that means with a rival carrier), they risk breaching consumer law. The fact so many do so anyway speaks to the lack of repercussions.
It is also why so many passengers are left out of pocket through no fault of their own. One extreme, but no less salient, example is at the beginning of the pandemic. As restrictions on travelling came into force, we found that millions of UK travellers were left waiting for refunds they were legally entitled to.
The CAA lacks fining powers, which would send a clear message to airlines that poor behaviour won’t be tolerated. Its softly-softly approach to admonishing businesses seems to centre on the hope that airlines will voluntarily change their ways.
It is part of the reason why the regulator has only taken forward court proceedings in one consumer civil enforcement action in two decades.
Having direct fining powers as part of an enforcement toolkit could be a game-changer.
Rocio Concha is the director of policy and advocacy at Which?. To have your question featured, email business@theipaper.com
