The UK’s best and worst airlines for customer service over the past year have been revealed in a new Which? survey.
It’s peak holiday season for millions of Brits nationwide at the moment, with August having just arrived and schools across the country now out for the summer, so it stands to reason that more people will be hopping on a plane in search of some sunshine than usual, and with that, airlines will have a lot more customers to keep satisfied.
But which airlines are considered to be the ‘worst’ when it comes to customer service?
Well, in a bid to get to the bottom of this, Which? decided to run one of its annual surveys to see “where customer service is going wrong” – and, on the flip side, where it’s going right – and find out who the worst offenders are.
The leading consumer group asked more than 1,000 adult passengers who had travelled with and contacted a major UK airline in the last year about their experiences of customer service, and asked them a series of questions to answer with ratings based on how satisfied or dissatisfied they were with that experience.
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Which? also used undercover researchers posing as customers to contact some of the UK’s most popular airlines, as well as those that previously rated poorly for customer service or rated poorly overall in its recent surveys, during the busy Easter break earlier this year.
British Airways, easyJet, Jet2, KLM, Tui, Ryanair, Vueling, and Wizz Air were the airlines contacted.
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Unfortunately, it was Wizz Air that claimed the not-so-coveted top spot on the 2024 list, with fellow budget airline Ryanair following close behind in second.
A table of results showing the UK’s worst airlines for ‘overall customer service’ in 2024 / Credit: Which?
Wizz Air received the lowest scores with only +13 satisfaction rating for ‘overall customer service’, which is 39 points behind the sector average of +52, while Ryanair also performed poorly and sits at nearly half the sector average with a mere +28.
British Airways was the only other airline to perform below average for ‘overall customer service’, sitting third-from-bottom of the table with a score of +46, which is 6 points below the average.
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While Which? says its latest survey findings go some way to suggesting there may be some underlying issues affecting airlines’ customer service that needs to be addressed, and that improving these should be a “priority to regain customer trust and satisfaction” for the airlines found to be the worst offender, it’s not all doom and gloom.
That’s because, on the positive side, Jet2 achieved the highest satisfaction scores across nearly all categories – including ‘overall customer service’.
The only exception for Jet2 was the question ‘how well my issue/query was resolved’, where Emirates instead claimed the top spot here, with a rating of +81.
Heaton Park’s historic tramway will be back up and running this summer after major funding secured
Emily Sergeant
Historic trams are set to run through Heaton Park once again from this summer thanks to some major new funding being secured.
For just over a year now, trams have been unable to run through Manchester‘s largest suburban park as the electrical substation which powers the Heritage Tramway needed an overhaul to bring it up to current safety standards – but now, some substantial funding has been secured to enable the essential restoration work to begin in the spring.
The trams operate on the only remaining section of the original tramway in Heaton Park, and offer locals and visitors alike a real glimpse into the past.
This piece of local history is operated by the volunteers of the Manchester Transport Museum Society (MTMS) on behalf of the Manchester Tramway Company Limited (MTCL) – a joint venture company between the Manchester Transport Museum Society and Manchester City Council.
This major investment into the existing infrastructure will ensure operation of the trams can continue for many years to come.
The £481,000 funding investment – which has been secured from Manchester City Council – should mean the tramway can restart in summer 2026, which just so happens to coincide with the 125th anniversary of Manchester’s first electric tramways in 1901, so it’s a big deal.
“Our support of the much-loved Heaton Park Tramway not only preserves an important piece of local heritage, but a piece of living history,” commented Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon, who is the Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods at Manchester City Council.
“The vintage trams hold a special place in the hearts of many people.”
Heaton Park’s historic tramway will be back up and running this summer after major funding was secured / Credit: David Dixon (via Geograph)
Geoff Senior, who is the Chairman of the Manchester Transport Museum Society, called the securing of funding ‘wonderful news’.
He added: “It represents a huge vote of confidence in the hard work and dedication [volunteers] have shown in the last 50 years of working to build, develop and run this vital piece of Manchester’s transport heritage, not only for the citizens of Manchester but those who travel to the park from wider afield.”
As mentioned, upgrade works to the Heaton Park Tramway will begin this spring – with the hopes trams will be back up and running again in the summer.
Featured Image – Adam McKendrick (via Wikimedia Commons)
Travel & Tourism
Transport Secretary commits to ‘transformational’ rail deal with Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
The Transport Secretary has signed a ‘transformational’ rail deal for Greater Manchester.
The Government has formally agreed to work with Greater Manchester and Mayor Andy Burnham on plans for a new railway connecting Liverpool and Manchester, via Warrington, as part of Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR).
The new Liverpool-Manchester line is said to underpin the Northern Growth Corridor – which is a bold strategy to drive growth from the Mersey to the Pennines, stretching into Yorkshire, Lancashire, North Wales, and beyond – with a key connection at Manchester Airport.
Local analysis has suggested that the new line could generate around £90 billion in additional revenue by 2040.
Also, as part of the major investment of up to £45 billion – which was announced a couple of weeks back, and is tipped to transform rail travel across the North – the Government has also said it will work with Greater Manchester partners to explore an underground option at Manchester Piccadilly station, recognising its potential as a ‘catalyst for growth’.
Local leaders say they are keen to demonstrate how an underground station could turn Piccadilly into a ‘Kings Cross of the North’.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander met with Mayor Andy Burnham last week to sign the formal agreement.
The agreement recognises the potential for an underground solution at Manchester Piccadilly, while also acknowledging the need for further ‘testing’ to make sure it will deliver value for money, and additionally sets out how the Government will work with Greater Manchester on the wider NPR scheme – which will be delivered in three stages, with the Liverpool-Manchester line to be built in the second phase.
The Transport Secretary has committed to a ‘transformational’ rail deal with Greater Manchester / Credit: TfGM (Supplied)
A formal review of the underground option at Manchester Piccadilly is to be lead by local leaders and senior civil servants.
“I’ve strengthened this Government’s clear and unwavering commitment to Northern Powerhouse Rail by signing an agreement with Mayor Burnham on the next steps for transforming connectivity in Greater Manchester,” explained Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander.
“With a new line between Manchester and Liverpool at the heart of our plans, alongside new stations at Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport, we will unlock new opportunities, more jobs and more housing for thousands of people.
“By providing early clarity on scope and phasing, we are giving Greater Manchester the certainty it needs to plan ahead and unlock the full economic and social benefits for its people.”
Emily Sergeant -
1st August 2024 
