Wizz Air worst short-haul airline, say UK passengers

theguardian.com:

Wizz Air has been named the worst short-haul airline by UK passengers.

Passengers surveyed by consumer group Which? gave the Hungary-based carrier one star out of five for boarding experience, cabin environment and seat comfort.

The budget airline’s seat pitch – the difference between two rows in standard economy – is 28 inches, two inches smaller than rival Ryanair.

No more than two stars were awarded in any of the remaining categories, including value for money and cleanliness.

Wizz Air operates short-haul flights from eight UK airports including Birmingham, Edinburgh, Gatwick and Luton.

The airline’s overall customer score of 48% put it at the bottom of the ranking, below Ryanair (52%), Eurowings (53%) and British Airways (56%).

In December, the Civil Aviation Authority said it had “significant concerns” about Wizz Air’s “unacceptable” behaviour as its passengers were far more likely to make escalated complaints than those of other carriers.

The regulator also found that the airline was delaying paying money owed to passengers.

Jet2.com had the highest score (80%) in the Which? research, ahead of Turkish Airlines (78%).

The travel editor of Which?, Rory Boland, said: “Travellers have had a torrid time in recent years, with last-minute delays and cancellations an unacceptably common occurrence.

“While airlines like Jet2.com have distinguished themselves by offering flyers excellent customer care and a reliable service, too many of their competitors continually fail to measure up.

“If alternative carriers are available for your route, avoid Wizz Air, as its poor record on customer care means you’re likely to be left high and dry in the event your flight is delayed or cancelled.”

Which? surveyed 8,046 UK adults in October 2022 about