Survey reveals the most unreliable airlines in the U.S. and U.K

Is it just me, or are airlines getting a lot of flack right now? Maybe it’s because they’re knowingly scamming us out of seats. Maybe it’s the prehistoric technology of the FAA. But as the damage of the pandemic subsides and travel revs up, it’s helpful to know which airlines to be wary of. 

The summer of 2022 travel debacle

Last summer’s air travel was a doozy. As people booked their long-awaited trips to Mykonos and other European hot spots, short-staffed airlines and airports struggled to keep up with the demand. Travel insurance experts at Compare the Market reviewed which airlines were the most and least reliable following the revenge travel craze of summer 2022, and you might want to take note before booking your 2023 trips. 

The most unreliable U.S. airline is…

Taking into account flight cancelations, delays, lost luggage, the number of filed complaints, the cause of complaints, and resolved complaints, the survey determined the worst airline in the United States to be American Airlines. The airline recorded 2,183 flight problems, 157 cases of overselling tickets on flights, and 1,476 reported issues with refunds. 

And the second most unreliable U.S. airline is…

United Airlines was a close second in the survey, with 763 cases of lost or delayed baggage, 470 cases of misinformation on fares, and 22 cases of discrimination. JetBlue, Spirit, and Frontier had low scores as well. 

It’s no surprise which U.K. airlines tanked

As if you didn’t already assume, easyJet was the most unreliable U.K.-based airline, receiving 10,494 complaints over a 12-month period, and only resolving 54 percent of them. TUI, Ryanair, British Airways, and Thomas Cook rounded out the five.