Cancellations and Dreamliners: My Best and Worst Flights of 2025 Revealed

The year 2025 marked a significant period for air travel. Global passenger traffic continued its strong resurgence. International Air Transport Association (IATA) data projected continued growth. This growth follows a 2024 where international traffic exceeded 2019 peaks by 0.5%. Despite this positive trend, the year was not without its operational challenges. A review of the year's flights reveals a sharp contrast between exceptional service and significant disruption.

The Three Worst Flights: A Trio of Cancellations

Three short-notice flight cancellations defined the year's worst travel experiences. The grounded flights were on British Airways, Jetstar of Australia, and Vueling of Spain. Each airline's initial response to the disruption was unsatisfactory. These incidents highlight the ongoing struggle with operational resilience. They also underscore the importance of EU261 air passenger rights regulations.

• British Airways rerouted a passenger via Qatar Airways to Singapore. However, ground staff agreed a non-stop Singapore Airlines flight was due. This was necessary to comply with air passenger rights rules.
• Jetstar cancelled an onward service to Melbourne due to pilot sickness. The airline refused to transfer the passenger to sister carrier Qantas. This forced an expensive rebooking on Emirates Business Class.
• Vueling cancelled a Gatwick flight from Barcelona. The airline initially offered a flight the next day. The passenger argued for a transfer to sister airline British Airways at Heathrow. A spare seat on a later Vueling flight at Gatwick eventually resolved the issue.

EU Regulation 261/2004 and the UK Air Passenger Rights 2019 require airlines to offer rerouting. This must be on comparable transport conditions. It must also be at the earliest opportunity. This includes using other carriers if necessary.

Best Flights: Service and Modernization

Among the year's best flights, two carriers stood out. One was a notable budget airline experience. The other was an excellent long-haul journey.

Best Budget Experience: Wizz Air

The best budget flight was a six-hour Wizz Air service. The route was from the UK to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. The plane was full of passengers on the Umrah pilgrimage. The cabin crew showed extraordinary grace and respect. This elevated the flight experience significantly.

Best Overall Flight: Air India's Dreamliner

The top flight of the year was Air India's AI169. This service flew from Amritsar to London Gatwick (LGW). The economy fare was exceptionally low for the 11-hour flight. The journey was agreeable and professional. The cabin crew were lovely and the food was delicious. A major benefit was securing three seats together in the Boeing 787-8 economy cabin.

Downsides included a non-working in-flight entertainment (IFE) system. Also, the flight path avoided Pakistani airspace. This added an hour to the journey time.

An Air India spokesperson addressed the IFE issues. They confirmed the Air India Boeing 787-8 retrofit program. The airline is transforming its fleet. All 26 legacy B787-8 aircraft are undergoing a retrofit. This program will be completed by mid-2027. The first two retrofitted aircraft will return to service in February 2026.

New Entrants and Industry Milestones

The year also saw the launch of new carriers. The most notable was the Global Airlines maiden flight. The inaugural transatlantic service flew from Glasgow to New York JFK. It was operated by an Airbus A380 on May 15, 2025. This event marked a bold entry into the competitive transatlantic market. Other new carriers experienced for the first time included HiSky of Romania and Middle East Airlines of Lebanon. For more commercial aviation news and analysis on fleet modernization and passenger rights, visit flying.flights.

This year’s travel demonstrated the industry's duality. Strong demand and new routes are positive signs. Yet, operational failures and legacy fleet issues remain key challenges.