For travelers across Europe, dependable airlines are more than just a convenience, they’re essential for smooth journeys, whether for business or leisure. The latest 2025 Flightright Index reveals some eye-opening insights into how Europe’s biggest airlines are performing, rating them on reliability, compensation payments, and customer satisfaction. These ratings, from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent), give a clear picture of which carriers passengers can trust, and which they might want to approach with caution.
Finnair’s ranking is a red flag for travelers prioritizing punctuality. With an overall score of just 2.48 stars and a reliability rating of 1.5 stars, Finnair tops the list of the least reliable airlines. Frequent delays and cancellations are frustrating many passengers, while low customer satisfaction further dampens the experience.
Two popular low-cost carriers, Vueling (2.52 stars) and Ryanair (2.58 stars), have also underperformed, especially in areas critical to passenger peace of mind: customer satisfaction and compensation for disruptions. Passengers report challenges in communication and claim processes, making travel with these airlines potentially stressful when flights don’t go as planned.
Customer satisfaction is a vital aspect of any flight experience. According to the Flightright index, easyJet, Vueling, and SAS scored the lowest in this category, each receiving 2.03, 2.06 and 2.05 out of 5 stars for customer satisfaction. Such experiences can turn routine flights into frustrating ordeals, affecting overall traveler confidence.
Reliability remains a major hurdle for some carriers. Besides Finnair’s poor 1.5-star rating, KLM and British Airways both received just 2 stars for reliability. This reflects issues with delays and cancellations, making it harder for travelers to plan their journeys with confidence.
When it comes to paying compensation for delays and cancellations, Vueling, Ryanair, and Turkish Airlines each scored only 2 stars. This suggests these carriers have room for improvement in handling passenger claims fairly and promptly.
Among German carriers, Lufthansa scored 3.18 stars overall with a notably high compensation score of 3.5 stars while Condor lagged behind with 2.72 stars, mainly due to lower customer satisfaction. German travelers should weigh these factors when choosing airlines, especially given ongoing concerns over reliability
TUIfly also featured in the rankings with an overall score of 3.23 stars. It performed moderately well in reliability with 3 stars and did better in compensation at 4 stars, but customer satisfaction was lower at 2.69 stars, indicating some challenges in meeting passenger expectations.
Discover Airlines leads with the highest overall score of 3.33 stars in the list. It achieved a perfect 5-star rating for compensation payment behavior but scored a lower 2.5 stars in reliability and 2.49 in customer satisfaction, showing some room for improvement in punctuality and cancellations. Eurowings earned 3.32 stars overall, second highest score in the list.
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