Which? conducted a mystery shopper investigation to uncover the customer service failings across eight major airlines.
Which? aimed to reveal the true state of customer service cultures at easyJet, BA, Vueling, Wizz Air, Ryanair, KLM, Tui, and Jet2.
The findings highlighted serious issues, including malfunctioning bots and unhelpful premium-rate phone lines.
Researchers engaged airlines through various channels—phone calls, online chats, emails, and social media.
Simple requests, like correcting booking errors or travel advice, were made to assess accuracy, speed, and helpfulness.
In the realm of online chats, the coordination between bots and live agents was inconsistent.
Wizz Air, for example, repeatedly failed to connect researchers to live agents despite promising assistance.
Email responses varied greatly among airlines.
While easyJet and Tui provided consistent and helpful responses, others like British Airways and Vueling either failed to reply or provided inadequate information.
Accessing help via phone was often challenging.
Some airlines, like Ryanair, disconnected calls based on booking dates or mismatched numbers.
KLM struggled with specific inquiries, such as dietary needs.
Wizz Air’s high-cost phone line highlighted accessibility issues.
Finding a local-rate alternative was cumbersome, with one researcher encountering multiple obstacles.
Contacting airlines via social media showed promise, but researchers warned of scams and phishing attempts posing as airline accounts.
Which? concluded that several airlines, including Wizz Air, Ryanair, KLM, and Vueling, fell short in providing satisfactory customer service.
Urgent action is needed to ensure timely and effective solutions for passengers.
Industry Response and Criticism
Airlines like Wizz Air and Ryanair criticized the methodology and findings, emphasizing their daily customer interactions and disputing the study’s representation.
Public Perception and Reviews
Public reviews on platforms like Trustpilot and Tripadvisor reflect widespread dissatisfaction with certain airlines’ customer service, contrasting with official responses.
Call for Improvement
Which? and consumer advocates urge airlines to improve service standards, calling for stronger regulatory oversight to protect passenger rights.