Hungarian Wizz Air receives bad news: panic over losing thousands of passengers
A recent survey by Which? reveals that, for the second year running, Wizz Air has earned the unenviable title of the worst airline according to British travellers. Struggling with engine failures, the company now faces the prospect of further loss of passengers following this disheartening news. Responding to the findings, the UK managing director of Wizz Air shared their perspective, which we share in this article.
The Independent has dedicated a long article to dissecting Wizz Air’s disappointing standing in the United Kingdom, delving into the insights provided by the Which? survey. In essence, the Hungarian airline finds itself at the bottom of the rankings primarily due to dissatisfaction with its customer service and perceived lack of value for money, particularly concerning short-haul flights.
Hungarian airline in trouble
Which? conducted a comprehensive survey encompassing 10,775 flights, seeking passengers’ opinions on various aspects such as customer service, value for money, seat comfort and dining options. UK travellers voiced complaints against the Hungarian budget carrier for frequent delays and poor customer service, with one passenger expressing frustration at the difficulty of communication when seeking assistance.
Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the airline received a mere one-star rating for customer service, translating to a dismal 44% satisfaction index, trailing behind Ryanair at 47%, Iberia at 49% and Vueling at 53%. However, Wizz Air’s underperformance extends beyond customer service, with below par ratings across other categories, including value for money, despite its positioning as a budget carrier offering competitive fares.
Meanwhile, Jet2 emerged as the frontrunner in the survey, boasting a five-star rating for customer service and an impressive 80% overall satisfaction rating.
Wizz Air strikes back
“Air fares have soared in recent years, and the bare minimum passengers should expect in return for their hard-earned cash is a reliable service, with friendly, easy-to-access customer support when they are let down”, Rory Boland, travel editor at Which, asserted.
The budget airline has contested the survey’s methodology, dismissing the sample group’s results as unrepresentative.
Marion Geoffroy, UK managing director at Wizz Air UK, countered, said “We conduct customer satisfaction surveys across our network, and hundreds of thousands of passengers have said they are satisfied with the service we provide. Our results show our customer satisfaction has improved year-on-year and is significantly higher than this report suggests”.
Geoffroy emphasised Wizz Air’s adherence to Civil Aviation Authority regulations and asserted that their performance ranks among the best in the United Kingdom.
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