# Booking a Flight Soon? These Are the Best (and Worst) Airlines, Researchers Say



## sargentodiaz (Apr 9, 2019)

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]*Rankings are based on on-time arrivals, mishandles baggage, bumping passengers, and consumer complaints.*[/FONT]​ [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]*I don’t see anything about leg room and all the extra fees they are now throwing at you.*[/FONT]​ [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]_Delta is 1[SUP]st[/SUP]_[/FONT]​ [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]_JetBlue Airways ranked second, followed by Southwest Airlines and last year’s winner, Alaska Airlines._[/FONT]​ [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]_Discount carrier Frontier Airlines ranked last, just behind American Airlines._[/FONT]​ [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]*More *@ http://time.com/5565902/best-worst-airlines-2019/[/FONT]​ ​


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## hollydolly (Apr 9, 2019)

None of those are in the UK... I've just booked a flight with a budget carrier. It's how I always fly domestically, because in reality there's very little difference between them all on domestic flights except a huge price difference.


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## oldman (Apr 9, 2019)

hollydolly said:


> None of those are in the UK... I've just booked a flight with a budget carrier. It's how I always fly domestically, because in reality there's very little difference between them all on domestic flights except a huge price difference.



Which low budget airline is the largest in England and Europe? Just curious. Here in the U.S. it has to be Southwest. They charge no baggage fees and you can even change your ticket without be charged a premium to do so. SW has an all Boeing 737 livery (fleet). I flew them a few times just out of convenience and also if I needed to get to a city to hook onto my ride with United. In the airline business, we share each other's needs by allowing members of other airlines's flight crew to catch a ride, so they can get to their city where they need to be and hook up with their airline job. Actually, I like Southwest, except their planes are dirty. They fly so many legs in a day that the flight crews just don't have the time to do a good cleaning after each flight.


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## gumbud (Apr 9, 2019)

I try to avoid these usually??


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## Capt Lightning (Apr 9, 2019)

Oldman,  it's more usual to talk of British or UK airlines. We don't generally refer to individual nations - with the possible exception of Loganair which is often called "Scotland's airline".   The largest budget UK airline  would be Easyjet (or sleazyjet, squeezy jet or any number of pejorative terms).  Actually, it's OK.  It has modern planes and competent staff, BUT ... it is a no frills airline that lacks the refinement of bigger carriers.   The flight is cheap, but then you pay to choose your seat, pay to check in baggage, pay for an in-flight snack etc etc...

The Biggest budget airline in Europe is possibly the Irish airline, Ryanair.  Now, if anything goes wrong, it goes wrong on Ryanair.  Again, they have modern planes, low prices and possibly the world's worst customer service.  They've been dogged by strikes,  legal action because they refused to pay compensation etc etc..  and it's a standing joke that they always land at least 50 miles away from their destination.  Basically, if they work, they're OK - if there's a problem , they are the definition of HELL.


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## hollydolly (Apr 9, 2019)

Capt Lightning said:


> Oldman,  it's more usual to talk of British or UK airlines. We don't generally refer to individual nations - with the possible exception of Loganair which is often called "Scotland's airline".   The largest budget UK airline  would be Easyjet (or sleazyjet, squeezy jet or any number of pejorative terms).  Actually, it's OK.  It has modern planes and competent staff, BUT ... it is a no frills airline that lacks the refinement of bigger carriers.   The flight is cheap, but then you pay to choose your seat, pay to check in baggage, pay for an in-flight snack etc etc...
> 
> The Biggest budget airline in Europe is possibly the Irish airline, Ryanair.  Now, if anything goes wrong, it goes wrong on Ryanair.  Again, they have modern planes, low prices and possibly the world's worst customer service.  They've been dogged by strikes,  legal action because they refused to pay compensation etc etc..  and it's a standing joke that they always land at least 50 miles away from their destination.  Basically, if they work, they're OK - if there's a problem , they are the definition of HELL.


  So True.....


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## oldman (Apr 9, 2019)

OK, so I get it. I have never flown international. And, as you know, international terminals are separate from domestic terminals at most airports, so I was seldom able to interact with the international pilots. Union meetings, yes, we are all one, but at union meetings, most pilots just want to discuss business. 

Doesn’t EASA keep a close watch on the airlines like Ryanair to make sure that they are following procedures? I assume they are not union. Ryanair sounds a lot like our Allegiant Air. They definitely have had their issues. 

The closest that I came to flying international was when I flew the O’Hare to Honolulu/Kauai route in a B-747 for two years. That was a lot of fun, but after two years of flying over the ocean, it became boring. That flight was amazing. Most passengers were in a very good mood, both to and back from the islands.


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## Capt Lightning (Apr 10, 2019)

Here's an example of the problems with Ryanair...

The UK Civil Aviation Authority has today started enforcement action against Ryanair, following the airline's decision that financial compensation is not payable under European Commission Regulation 261/2004 for flight disruption resulting from industrial action by the airline's staff this summer.
Ryanair passengers have made claims for compensation directly to the airline, but these have been rejected. Passengers have then been able to escalate their complaints to AviationADR, a body approved by the Civil Aviation Authority, to provide alternative dispute resolution for passenger complaints. 
 Ryanair has now informed the Civil Aviation Authority that it has terminated its agreement with AviationADR. As the Civil Aviation Authority said at the time of the industrial action, in its view, the strikes were not “extraordinary circumstances” and were not exempt, meaning consumers should be compensated in accordance with Regulation EC261/2004.
 As a result of Ryanair's action, passengers with an existing claim will now have to await the outcome of the Civil Aviation Authority's enforcement action.


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## oldman (Apr 10, 2019)

I am assuming that passengers are asking to be compensated for cancelled flights, is that correct? If so, I would have no reason as to why Ryanair would be pushing back from that request, unless they don't have the money to refund the ticket costs. If that's so, they need to get out of the aviation business. Customer service has to be a main priority in any service oriented business. 

Here in the U.S. and I am sure it's the same with at least some airlines abroad, there are different classes of tickets a passenger can buy. Some offer a refund for certain reasons, but anytime a flight is cancelled, the passenger is always offered a refund or credit. I think that's part of the "Passenger Bill of Rights" here in the U.S. 

https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/aviation-consumer-protection/flight-delays-cancellations


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## Tommy (Apr 10, 2019)

hollydolly said:


> None of those are in the UK...


Holly, Delta flies from the US to many locations within the UK.  I've flown Delta from Boston to Manchester a number of times.


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## CeeCee (Apr 10, 2019)

Tommy said:


> Holly, Delta flies from the US to many locations within the UK.  I've flown Delta from Boston to Manchester a number of times.



Ive flown Delta from NY to Hungary many times but it was Delta/Malev..which is the name of the Hungarian airline.  This was many years ago so don’t know if it’s changed.


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## RadishRose (Apr 10, 2019)

Well, not exactly an airline....


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## hollydolly (Apr 10, 2019)

Tommy said:


> Holly, Delta flies from the US to many locations within the UK.  I've flown Delta from Boston to Manchester a number of times.



Yes but they don't fly domestic or from the Uk to any med countries do they?


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## oldman (Apr 11, 2019)

In my most recent union magazine, *Delta* was rated number 1 in passenger service. Good for them. Even though I am committed to United, I like seeing all of the airlines do well. Little do people know or realize, but travel, including via airline, really jolts the economy, not only here in the U.S., but abroad as well. Just here in the U.S. the last numbers that I saw, travel makes up somewhere between 4-6% of our GDP. Also an amazing fact is that Washington, D.C. is still the number one rated vacation destination. Why do you think that is? Dulles Airport (IAD) in Washington was my home based airport. I live about 2 hours north, but this is home, so I decided to drive the 2 hours to go to work.


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## Leann (Apr 11, 2019)

I was dedicated to Continental Airlines before the merger with United. I still fly United most of the time.


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## oldman (May 16, 2019)

Leann said:


> I was dedicated to Continental Airlines before the merger with United. I still fly United most of the time.



Thank you for flying the “friendly skies.”


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## DaveA (May 16, 2019)

The last time I flew it was on Piedmont Airlines and only from Boston to Illinois.  Tells you how long since I've flown.  I don't even know how many years ago since Piedmont ceased to exist?


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## oldman (May 17, 2019)

DaveA said:


> The last time I flew it was on Piedmont Airlines and only from Boston to Illinois.  Tells you how long since I've flown.  I don't even know how many years ago since Piedmont ceased to exist?



The last that I knew, (just a few years ago), was that Piedmont was still in business as a regional carrier. They were hooked up with U.S. Air in the early days, which is now American Airlines. I remember back in their early days , they didn't have a good safety record, but that's all changed since they have updated their aircraft and hired experienced pilots that have come out of the service. 

My first choice was to get a job with American and fly those bright shiny planes, but I was flying for Air Wisconsin under the brand name of United Express and was able to advance to United through Air Wisconsin, which by the way, recruited me out of ATP flight school as their number one student.


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## Capt Lightning (May 18, 2019)

A lot of airlines have come and gone..   Silver City airlines who used to fly DC3's and a aptly named Bristol Superfreighter, which transported vehicles and passengers.  It was taken over by British United, which for a while amalgamated with British Caledonian.  Then there was Dan Air London,  British Midland (which has just recently ceased flying) and Jersey European (Now FlyBe).

What is now British airways was originally BEA (domestic & Europe) and BOAC (transcontinental).  At one time the chairman was a certain Lord King who was ruthless and arrogant at destroying other airlines and absorbing them into BA.
One major one was Laker airlines which pioneered cheap trans-Atlantic flight.  This was until he came up against Richard Branson and Virgin Atlantic when the dirty tricks campaign was exposed.  King was removed from office and BA received the largest libel fine in British legal history.  The fine was distributed amongst the Virgin staff.


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## oldman (May 18, 2019)

I wished that Concorde would have kept flying. Taking a trip on Concorde was on my bucket list. When I flew, Dulles International Airport (IAD) in Washington, D.C. was my home airport and I would often taxi past the International terminal and see the Concorde parked. I would think to myself, “Someday, I am going to fly on that plane.” 

But, sadly, they ceased flying before I retired and was able to buy my ticket.


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## Capt Lightning (May 19, 2019)

Having said previously that Ryanair had a terrible reputation, Mrs. L and daughter have just arrived back from Seville having used Ryanair both ways (only convenient carrier).  They said it was a modern plane (737), everything was exactly on time, plenty of luggage space and no problems at all.   This is the thing - when it works, it works well, but when it doesn't, don't expect any help.

(as an aside - At a school where I worked, there was a pupil called Ryan Eyre.  Poor chap)


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## jeremias (Jun 12, 2019)

I have never had bad experiences with an airline, neither on intra-European flights, nor on long-haul flights. The only exception is Ryanair. I have never experienced such bad service anywhere else. 
As a positive counter-example, I would like to mention Air France. When a flight was cancelled due to a strike, Air France issued me a ticket for an alternative flight after only 10 minutes.


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## oldman (Jun 13, 2019)

Here’s something to think about. In speaking with a friend of mine, who is still working at Boeing, he told me that Boeing is going to be showing off their newest plane, the Boeing 797 at the upcoming air show in France, I believe it is. The thing about this plane is that the cockpit is tight and that the plane is designed to need only one pilot. (That’s not a misprint. ONE PILOT!) 

Would you feel safe having just one pilot in the cockpit?


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## hollydolly (Jun 13, 2019)

I'm flying in a few days.... usual budget airline which I don't like ( Easy jet)....I hate being squashed in like cattle... however, the flight is under 3 hours, so I can put up with it, rather than pay ten times more for a better carrier... 

Oldman...NO< I wouldn't like it at all having just one Pilot!! What happens if they get sick ?


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## oldman (Jun 13, 2019)

I’m flying in the morning myself. Going to LALA Land for the weekend. It’s great having free air travel. I paid for the extra leg room, which cost me a whopping $22.00 each way per ticket (2). At 6’4”, I need the space.


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## oldman (Jun 13, 2019)

Holly: I hope that you can see this link and read the article pertaining to Boeing using one pilot. I spoke with an engineer at Boeing about this and he said that more information will be forthcoming after the airshow.

https://www.airlinepilotcentral.com/articles/news/boeing-wants-pilots-to-fly-solo.html


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