35 best and worst airlines 2025 named by Which? with BA suffering major blow
Premium airline British Airways has had a major fall from grace after ranking bottom in a major new poll from consumer experts, Which?
It has recently published the results of its annual airline satisfaction survey, after speaking to 7,828 Which? members and other travellers about 9,325 flights that took off last year. Each operator has been given an overall customer score out of 100 based on several categories. This includes the number of last-minute cancellations, along with customer ratings of the airline’s cleanliness, food and drink offerings, boarding process, and seat comfortability.
Out of 16 short-haul competitors, budget airline Jet2.com was crowned the clear winner, scoring an impressive 80 per cent on its overall customer score. Which? participants ranked the airline’s customer service a stellar five stars, while its booking process, cleanliness and value for money received a respectable four stars. Ryanair came last, with an abysmal score of just 49 per cent: followed by Wizz Air (51 per cent) and Lufthansa (55 per cent).
In the long-haul category, Singapore Airlines took the lead with an 81 per cent customer score – garnering five stars for multiple factors including cabin environment and customer service. British Airways (who ranked 12th out of 16th in the short-haul category) came in joint last with long-haul operator Air Canada – both scoring just 62 per cent overall.
“British Airways’ poor performance in our survey shows how far it has fallen from the days when it was seen as setting the standards others should aspire to,” Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel said in a statement. “There’s a clear disparity between airlines at the top and at the bottom of the rankings.”
He added: “The top performers show it is possible to give passengers good service at a time when delays, cancellations and terrible customer service have become almost the norm. 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.”
However, BA has slammed the criticism, arguing Which?’s research is ‘entirely at offs’ with its own customer feedback. A spokesperson for the airline said: “Customers are seeing the benefit of our £7 billion investment programme, with operational performance improving by 18 per cent over the last 12 months, partnered with the introduction of new aircraft, the unveiling of our new First seat, free Wi-Fi messaging on flights and upgrades to nine of our lounges.
“This is also reflected in a recent independent study from Newsweek, which surveyed 17,000 people who voted us their Most Trusted Airline Brand. There is always room for improvement and we know we don’t always get things right, but we’re proud of the progress we’re making and will continue to focus on delivering the best possible service for our customers.”
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*Data based on varying sample sizes. For example, 944 people were surveyed about British Airway’s short-haul service, while only 253 were surveyed for its long-haul service.
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