Top 15 Worst Airlines Rankings Of 2024

Not every trip is enjoyable. There are moments when it's merely annoying and uncomfortable. We endure a lot to get where we're going, from cramped seats on airplanes to annoying delays. Some of the worst airlines in the US and other countries always seem to make the journey worse. Not only are uncomfortable seats, inadequate entertainment options, subpar food, and airline delays never appealing, but they become even less appealing when you are forced to spend hours on an overseas flight. 

So, if you are wondering what the worst airline to fly is, this guide will help you reveal the carriers to avoid. Check out the top 15 airlines below; you may wish to choose not to fly with any of them when making trip arrangements.

Airline Rankings: What Are The Main Categories To Evaluate?

It's essential to know what is being ranked and what the methodology behind the numbers is. There were three main categories to identify what is the worst airline to fly:

1- On-Time Performance: This refers to the number of scheduled flights as well as arrival and departure statistics for each carrier's aircraft. 

2- Service Quality: In a poll conducted by AirHelp, over forty thousand travelers were asked to rank the airlines they used for the following reasons:

• Aircraft  comfort
• Helpfulness of the crew
• Food offering

3- Claim Processing: This has to do with how airlines process claims for flight compensation, namely how long it takes them to make payments. To determine the scores for airlines, the business can rely on data from its own claims processes. According to AirHelp, the following criteria determine the score:

• Claim handling: The portion of an airline's claims that are unjustly denied or ignored.
• Claim Turnaround: The entire amount of time it takes an airline to accept and handle a claim 
• Claim Payout: The amount of time the airline takes to reimburse a passenger for their flight after approving a claim.  

Worst Airlines In America And Other Countries 

This is the complete list of the top 15 worst ranked airlines in the world, as determined by AirHelp. These are the bottom 15 airlines out of 72 that were ranked.

Worst Ranked Airlines: Breaking Down Each Airline On The List

Traveling with passengers may rapidly turn from enjoyable to unpleasant when there are delays, crowded seats, and poor service. Based on these characteristics, These airlines are usually found to be the worst airlines in the US or other countries. 

Also Read: Top Airlines In United States 2024: Review & Ratings

Tarom (6.43)

With a fleet of 25 aircraft, Tarom serves 2.4 million passengers annually with flights to 50 destinations across 23 countries. It is the oldest airline in Romania and flies the national flag. Nonetheless, there is still room for development regarding the airline's ability to provide enjoyable and comfortable flying experiences.

Travelers in the past have complained about Tarom's sporadic flight cancellations and delays, rude employees, and inadequate communication throughout. In addition, There is virtually little legroom, and the seats are really uncomfortable. You won't be content if you are taller than average. You'll need to stretch your legs wide if the person in front of you reclines.

Asiana Airlines (6.42)

One of the two main airlines in South Korea is Asiana Airlines; the other is Korean Air. AirHelp's analysis shows that although the airline provides excellent service, it struggles with processing claims. The airline had some strange issues with its in-flight meals, but it looks like they're working through those now. The company had previously stated that it would reduce its flight load to address a number of issues that were creating delays.

China Eastern Airlines (6.34)

You figure you're doing something right when your airline serves more than 1,000 destinations across 177 countries, right? According to AirHelp's worst ranked airlines, this airline lands at no. 57 out of 72 because, based on flying experience, most passengers will not recommend it if you need to arrive on time. 

Gol Intelligent Airlines (6.31)

Based in Rio de Janeiro, GOL was the first low-cost operator in Brazil and is currently the largest Brazilian carrier. With almost 700 departures daily, GOL performs about average well in terms of service and punctuality. However, claim processing lowers GOL's rating. The reviews are honest as well. 

Czech Airlines (6.31)

Considering that Czech Airlines has been in operation for 95 years, you would think they would be experts at flying. However, judging by its position as the world's eleventh worst airline in America and other countries, it appears not. 

With a fleet of 17 aircraft, the Czech Republic's national flag carrier flies passengers to over 100 locations across the globe. According to passenger reviews, most travelers say the airline's baggage guidelines are confusing, and the staff is incompetent. 

Air Mauritius (6.11)

In 1967, when Mauritius won independence from Britain, Air Mauritius was established as the country's flag carrier. It has now quired a mediocre reputation, with many customers complaining about its poor meals on Tripadvisor. Here are some other complaints that make this air carrier the worst airlines in US and other countries.

• Pathetic services provided locally
• Passengers received no information regarding the flight delay.
• Standing in line for about an hour to get meals.
• Non-veg meals are provided to purely vegetarian passengers.
• Rude staff at Mauritius airport.

Tap Air Portugal (6.04)

According to the AirHelps ranking, Tap Portugal is a pretty mediocre-at-best airline across the board. The airline was founded in 1945, and there are a number of online complaints about baggage pricing, plus complaints about delayed or lost luggage. However, if you're coming into or leaving Lisbon, you'll likely travel with Tap Portugal, so get ready.

Vueling Airlines (6.02)

Vueling Airlines is a budget air carrier based in Spain and is the country's second-largest airline behind Iberia. However, some of the common gripes about the airline are bad communication, disorganized services, and frequent flight cancellations and changes. The airline also had an embarrassing and strange. 

In addition, the airline had an odd and unpleasant incident with professional soccer player Lionel Messi; nevertheless, they have subsequently issued an apology. While boasting a respectable track record for punctuality and service excellence, Vueling's claim processing performance was unsatisfactory. Still, the flights to 131 destinations are affordable, as long as you don't mind the possibility of being frustrated during your trip.

Aerolineas Argentinas (5.97)

Next on the list of worst airlines in the US or other countries is Aerolineas Argentinas. This national flag carrier, founded in 1950, flies to 59 destinations and 13 countries, including 35 locations in Argentina. Despite its low marks, passengers may still want to consider Aerolineas Argentinas because it launched the "customized fares" option, which allows passengers to pay for only the services they need.

Transavia (5.84)

Established in 1965, Dutch Transavia is KLM's and Air France's low-cost airline. It offers free carry-on luggage, free entertainment, and free seat selection on flights to more than 110 destinations.

However, reviewers revealed that flights are not always "cheap on cost" and don't come with free drinks or food. Yet, if you decide to sacrifice for cheap, it does provide flights throughout Europe for as little as 25 euros, or $30.

Norwegian (5.67)

The budget airline based in Norway continues to operate despite speculations that it would soon fail, primarily because several routes between the United States and Europe were canceled. According to the rankings, Norwegian, the country's biggest carrier and one that was founded in 1993, has the worst claim processing. Furthermore, Internet reviews consistently contain words like "rude," "unhelpful," and "useless," scoring only 2.3 in the category.

Ryanair Airline (5.60)

Ryanair, an Irish low-cost airline, is the fifth worst ranked airline. The airline serves over 130 million passengers annually with 2,000 daily flights from locations across 37 countries. It's difficult to find a better deal than the airline's frequently ridiculously low costs, but be aware that almost everything is extra, even bringing carry-on luggage and sitting near loved ones.

Korean Air (5.49)

This flag-carrier airline for South Korea was founded in 1969, and it flies to 124 destinations in more than 43 countries. The family-owned business made news a while back when two of the CEO's daughters left after a string of awkward events and allegations that the family had been using the airline's aircraft to avoid paying taxes on opulent products. 

However, given its strong presence, you are likely to use Korean Air for your flights into and out of South Korea and other regions of Asia. At least the quality of the service received a high rating.

Kuwait Airways (5.40)

Based in Kuwait City, Kuwait Airways provides flights to more than 30 destinations in Asia and Europe. In recent years, the airline has faced several challenges, such as significant financial losses and backlash over its decision to prevent an Israeli woman from traveling due to her nationality. Customer concerns range from the planes being dusty and needing enhancement to the crew being disrespectful and unhelpful. 

EasyJet (5.29)

Since Thomas Cook Airlines closed, the low-cost airline based in the United Kingdom, EasyJet, has become the worst ranked airline. The majority of EasyJet complaints are about the airline's terrible claim handling. 

The airline is well-liked for inexpensive, short-haul flights since it serves 132 airports across 31 countries. However, EasyJet has only been in business for a little over 20 years. Even with EasyJet's low rating, you might still be happy with its absurdly low prices if all that matters to you is finding the lowest flights.

What Is The Worst Airline In The World For International Travel?

Not only are uncomfortable seats, terrible food, limited entertainment options, and delayed flights never appealing, but they become even less appealing when you are forced to spend hours on an international flight. Here at Swift, we've examined a number of sources to provide you with an overview of the worst airlines in the US or worldwide:

Worst Airlines In The US for Lateness

Airline delays are inconvenient no matter what, and Travel + Leisure has prepared a list based on the most current Bureau of Transportation Statistics data.

• Frontier: 27.64 percent of delayed flights.
• JetBlue: 27.34 percent of delayed flights.
• Southwest: 25.06 percent of delayed flights.

Worst For Seat And Legroom Perks

A long flight may seem considerably longer if you're crammed into a narrow seat with minimal legroom. Thus, if you are traveling internationally, check the airlines below that are considered the worst airlines in the US or all countries.

1- Worst Economy Class Seats

American Airlines: If you find yourself seated on one of the Boeing 767-300's most confined seats, you'll only have 31 inches separating rows and 17.2 inches between seats. There are no power options on your seat, no Wi-Fi connections on the plane, and the overhead TV is your only source of in-flight entertainment. With all these things, American Airlines is the worst airline in America.

United Airlines: On the airline's Boeing 747-400, you can have a slender 17-inch seat with 31-inch-separating rows. Here, you might genuinely have access to Wi-Fi and AC power. However, you are still forced to watch TV above.

2- Worst Business Class Seats

U.S. Airways: The business class seats on the airline's Boeing 757-200 are among the narrowest available, measuring 19.5 inches in width and 60 inches between rows. The seats allow you to sag, yet not completely flatten out. This is the worst airline in US because you won't be able to use Wi-Fi, you'll only have DC power instead of conventional AC power, and your seat will only have on-demand or seatback TV.

American Airlines: The Boeing 767-300 has 20 inches between seats and 60 inches between rows, but at least it has AC power and a flatbed seat that lies completely flat. Your entertainment options are limited to portable devices, and Wi-Fi is still unavailable.

What Is The Worst Airline To Fly In Us?

Regarding the number of customer complaints, Southwest Airlines had the most complaints, with 843 in total. Coming in second is Frontier Airlines, and third is American Airlines. However, according to the airline ranking on food, inflight entertainment, seat comfort, staff service, and fees, here are the top 3 worst airlines in US for international travel:

• Frontier: 2 out of 10, especially bad in the entertainment and meal industry.
• United Airlines: 3 out of 10, solid two ratings in all areas.
• US Airways: 3 out of 10 is the lowest score in the field of entertainment.

Conclusion

Air travel can be a stressful experience, and the airline you choose has a big influence on how it goes. Although low-cost carriers such as Ryanair provide cheap tickets, passengers may get dissatisfied due to extra fees and uncomfortable travel. 

Ultimately, the "worst" airline will vary depending on individual experiences and expectations. Therefore, check the list above that shows the worst ranked airlines based on customer ratings. If you have any questions, call the online travel agency expert at +1-800-865-1848 and get up-to-date information about any airline