Best and worst airlines named with Ryanair sinking below Wizz Air for customer service
Ryanair rubbished the validity of the findings, saying it was a "tiny, unrepresentative survey" from Which?, which questioned 5,518 members of the public regarding their experiences on 9,512 individual flights taken since October 2024.
Customers were asked about their experiences of customer service across eight areas including how easy it is to find a contact number, how long it takes to get in touch with a person who can help and how well issues are dealt with.
Hungarian carrier Wizz Air remains near the bottom of the rankings with a customer score of 59%, while Ryanair occupies the lowest spot with just 55%. In a notable shift for 2026, British Airways has moved out of the bottom three for short-haul travel, securing a score of 72% - significantly ahead of its budget rivals, but still behind top-tier performers like Jet2.
Wizz Air challenged the findings as failing to reflect their recent performance, stating the results "do not fully capture the impact" of their £90 million investment in operational resilience. The carrier noted that they have already seen a 30% reduction in delays and are now focusing on further expanding their UK customer service teams to speed up response times throughout 2026.
While Wizz Air has seen marginal improvements, the latest data shows that 44% of passengers still report experiencing at least one significant issue with its customer service.
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Communication remains a primary hurdle with one in seven customers claiming they received no response to their email inquiries within the required timeframe. Plus, 8% of passengers reported their calls were still being disconnected or dropped after enduring long wait times in the airline’s phone queues.
While Wizz Air’s highly publicised £90 million investment in its operations has begun to yield results, it has not yet solved the issue of punctuality. According to the latest full-year CAA data for 2025, Wizz Air’s average delay has dropped significantly to 22 minutes 12 seconds, down from more than 31 minutes in previous years. However, this still places them in the bottom tier of UK carriers, trailing only TUI Airways, which remains the UK's least punctual airline with an average delay of 24 minutes 48 seconds.
In contrast, budget rival Ryanair recorded a much lower average delay of 14 minutes 42 seconds, highlighting a nearly eight-minute gap in performance within the low-cost sector.
| Airline | Avg. Delay (2025) | Status |
|---|---|---|
| TUI Airways | 24m 48s | Least Punctual |
| Wizz Air | 22m 12s | Improving (down from 31m) |
| British Airways | 18m 36s | Below Average |
| Ryanair | 14m 42s | Sector Leader (Punctuality) |
| Jet2.com | 12m 06s | Top Performer |
*Source: Civil Aviation Authority
Even with its improvement, Wizz Air is still nearly twice as likely to be delayed compared to its direct competitor, Jet2.
Jet2.com remains the standout performer in the 2026 survey, achieving a record-high customer satisfaction score of +83. In contrast, flagship carrier British Airways has seen its reputation for reliability falter. Unlike previous years where it scored well for problem-solving, it now ranks below the industry average for how effectively and quickly it resolves customer complaints and flight disruptions.
Jet2.com celebrated its top-tier ranking, attributing its score of +83 to a consistent "customer-first" culture.
A spokesman for Ryanair said: "This tiny, unrepresentative survey of just a few thousand people is entirely at odds with the reality of millions of UK passengers who vote with their feet by choosing Ryanair every day. In 2026, we will carry over 215 million passengers who prioritise our industry-leading punctuality and unbeatable low fares over the subjective opinions of a small group of Which? members.
"While 'Which?' focuses on comfort and catering, our customers are savvy enough to know that Ryanair is the only airline delivering the lowest fares and the most reliable service in Europe. We will continue to invest in our 'Day of Travel' digital features to ensure our 215m customers enjoy the most seamless and affordable travel experience available."
British Airways admitted the results were "disappointing" and did not meet their internal standards. The airline said it was undertaking a multi-billion pound transformation program to improve digital systems and call centers to provide a more reliable and seamless experience for passengers.
Best and worst airlines for customer service
| Which? Airline Satisfaction Survey | 2024 Score (Previous) | 2026 Score (Latest) | Performance Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top Performers | |||
| Jet2.com | 81% | 76% | Steady Top Tier |
| Emirates | 74% | 80% | Improving |
| Mid-Tier / Flagship | |||
| British Airways | 46% | 72% | Strong Recovery |
| Bottom Performers | |||
| Wizz Air | 13% | 59% | Slightly Improving |
| Ryanair | 28% | 55% | Declining |
In the latest 2026 Which? rankings, Wizz Air continues to struggle with accessibility, receiving just two stars for its customer service and communication during delays. While its overall customer score improved slightly to 59%, it remains significantly behind Jet2.com, the top-rated short-haul airline.
Jet2 clinched four stars for customer service and an impressive overall satisfaction score of 76%, making it the only UK short-haul carrier to be named a 'Which? Recommended Provider' for the eleventh consecutive year.
Wizz Air also performed poorly in resolving passenger disputes. According to recent Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data, the airline recorded the highest rate of complaints in the UK, with 918 cases opened per million passengers. Despite a £90m investment in its operations, customers still reported frequent issues with promptness and ease of contact, reflected in its low star ratings for these categories.
The 2026 survey found that 59% of Wizz Air passengers and 55% of Ryanair passengers experienced one or more problems with their flight or customer service.
In a reversal of recent trends, the 2026 Which? survey shows British Airways has recovered significant ground, scoring 72% for short-haul travel. This places it comfortably ahead of Wizz Air (59%) and Ryanair (55%), marking a successful year for the flagship carrier's efforts to rebuild its reputation for reliability and service.
Rocio Concha, a director at Which?, said: "While some airlines have touted multi-million pound investments in their operations, our 2026 research shows that many passengers are still being left in the lurch. It is simply unacceptable that in an era of record travel demand, so many carriers are still hiding behind inadequate chatbots and automated systems that fail to provide real solutions when things go wrong.
"Airlines must move beyond PR promises and deliver genuine, accessible human support. Passengers deserve more than just a seat; they deserve a clear, timely, and effective resolution when their travel plans are disrupted."
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