Wizz Air has finished last in an annual survey of short-haul airlines, receiving complaints from passengers about its level of customer service and unreliable flight departures.
The budget carrier was among several airlines rated by more than 8,000 travellers in a survey conducted by consumer company Which?. Wizz Air received a poor customer score of 48 per cent, with passengers awarding it one star out of five for boarding experience, as well as for cabin environment and seat comfort; the airline has some of the least generous legroom, with its seat pitch - the distance between two rows in standard economy - being two inches smaller than even its budget rival Ryanair.
Wizz Air achieved no higher than two stars in any of the remaining categories, including value for money and customer service. One unhappy customer reported their flight was “an unpleasant experience” and there were repeated complaints about delays. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data revealed the airline was among the worst offenders for punctuality last year, with just 56 per cent of flights arriving on time. Of the short-haul airlines included in the survey, only Tui fared worse for punctuality, with less than half (45%) of its flights on time.
Wizz Air has expanded rapidly in recent years, but its growth has not come without disruption and uncertainty for passengers, with routes frequently paused or scrapped altogether. Last April it launched a number of new routes from Cardiff Airport, before announcing that most of these would be pulled from the market over the winter period - despite many customers having already booked. The CAA has also previously raised concerns about high volumes of complaints about the airline via the Alternative Dispute Resolution Scheme and the courts.
