Ryanair, Aer Lingus Rank Last in 2026 UK Passenger Satisfaction Survey

Irish carriers Ryanair and Aer Lingus have been ranked last in their respective categories in the annual airline satisfaction survey published by UK consumer group Which?. Ryanair received the lowest score among all short-haul airlines, while Aer Lingus’s long-haul service was rated the worst by passengers. The survey, based on the experiences of more than 5,500 travellers, highlights a persistent gap in customer perception between low-cost and full-service carriers.

The findings place a spotlight on the trade-offs inherent in the budget airline business model, which prioritizes cost minimization over passenger amenities. Ryanair, in particular, has consistently ranked near the bottom of the Which? survey, often disputing the results while pointing to its high passenger volumes as the ultimate measure of customer satisfaction.

Short-Haul Survey Results

According to the Which? Annual Airline Survey for February 2026, Ryanair received a customer satisfaction score of just 55%, placing it last among 24 short-haul airlines. The carrier’s rating was impacted by poor scores across multiple categories. Passengers awarded Ryanair only one out of five stars for seat comfort and two stars for booking experience, boarding, customer service, and the overall cabin environment.

In contrast, Jet2 was ranked as the best short-haul airline, achieving a customer score of 76%. The disparity underscores the different service models within the European short-haul market. Which? noted that the practice of unbundling fares, common among low-cost carriers, can be a point of frustration, as add-on fees for baggage and seat selection make calculating the final cost difficult for consumers.

Long-Haul and Mixed Results for Aer Lingus

Aer Lingus, part of International Airlines Group (IAG), faced a mixed assessment. The airline’s long-haul service received the lowest score in its category, with a customer satisfaction rating of 65%. Similar to Ryanair, passengers cited poor amenities, awarding the carrier’s long-haul product just two out of five stars for both seat comfort and cabin environment.

The best-performing long-haul carrier in the survey was Singapore Airlines, which earned a customer score of 81%. Aer Lingus’s short-haul service fared better, scoring 71% and placing it in the middle of the rankings for that category, suggesting a significant difference in passenger experience between its regional and intercontinental operations.

Airline and Industry Response

The survey results prompted strong reactions from the airlines involved. A Ryanair spokesperson dismissed the findings, stating, "Neither we nor our 208m passengers pay any attention to these made-up manufactured surveys or their fake results." The airline emphasized passenger choice, noting that 208 million consumers chose to fly with them in the last year, a figure that dwarfs the survey's sample size.

This position reflects a common industry trend where airlines, particularly low-cost carriers, challenge the methodology of passenger surveys. They argue that small sample sizes are not representative of their vast customer base. Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, countered the criticism, stating, “It's outrageous to see Ryanair and Wizz Air openly scoff at the poor experiences of their own customers.”

An Aer Lingus spokeswoman provided context for its poor long-haul performance, noting that the survey “relates to a small number of customers travelling on long-haul services from our transatlantic Manchester base,” which the airline is in the process of closing. The airline did not comment on its mid-tier short-haul ranking.

Why This Matters

This annual survey underscores the ongoing tension between price and passenger experience in the commercial aviation sector. For budget carriers like Ryanair, high passenger volumes and low operational costs remain the primary business drivers, often at the expense of service-related metrics. The results demonstrate that while millions of passengers choose low-cost options, a segment of those travelers remains consistently dissatisfied with the level of comfort and service provided. This dynamic continues to fuel debate over airline service quality and the transparency of ancillary fees.

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