Ryanair, a budget airline, has received the lowest customer satisfaction ranking in the United Kingdom according to a recent survey conducted by consumer organization Which?. Out of almost 30 airlines surveyed, Ryanair scored the lowest at 55%. The airline received only two stars out of five for various aspects such as booking process, boarding, customer service, and cabin environment, and just one star for seat comfort.

Over 1,200 Ryanair passengers participated in the survey. One passenger mentioned, “The plane is dirty and the seats are awful.” In response to the survey results, Ryanair stated that they and their 208 million passengers do not pay attention to such surveys, considering them to be fabricated. They emphasized that passengers have the choice to fly with them and highlighted their significant number of passengers in the previous year.

Wizz, another no-frills carrier, ranked just above Ryanair with two stars across most categories except for value for money, where it achieved three stars. Jet2, a holiday airline, topped the short-haul category with a satisfaction score of 76%, receiving praise for its generous luggage allowance. Singapore Airlines was named the best overall carrier with a score of 81%, excelling in the long-haul category.

The survey, which included over 5,500 British adults who flew economy class from a UK airport for leisure in the past year, indicated that budget carriers might not always be the most affordable option due to additional fees. Wizz Air defended its position, citing the small sample size of the survey and highlighting their growing number of passengers as a testament to their low prices and operational excellence.

Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, expressed disappointment in Ryanair and Wizz Air for disregarding their customers’ negative experiences. He advised passengers to consider airlines that include baggage and seat allocation in their fares, as they could potentially offer better overall value.