As summer travel surged in 2024, so did passenger complaints against several airlines. A recent report by Reclamio reveals which carriers received the most customer grievances, with a surprising front-runner for the third year running.
According to Reclamio’s analysis, Vueling, the low-cost Spanish airline, has emerged as the most complained-about airline for the third consecutive year. This summer, nearly one in four complaints processed by the website (23.1%) were directed at Vueling. This means an increase from 18.5% in 2023. The bulk of these complaints stemmed from issues such as delayed or cancelled flights, overbooked planes, and problems with lost or damaged luggage.
Vueling’s dominant share of complaints is largely attributed to its high volume of operations in Spain, especially during the busy summer travel season.
Iberia and Ryanair follow closely
Following Vueling, Iberia and Ryanair were also high on the list, generating 17.7% and 11.2% of complaints, respectively. Both airlines operate numerous flights to and from Spain, which explains their significant share of customer grievances.
Airlines like Volotea and TAP Portugal round out the top five, with notable mentions also going to Binter Canarias, Transavia France, Air Europa, easyJet, and Lufthansa for receiving a substantial number of complaints.
Why the surge in complaints?
Noemí Fernández, manager at Reclamio, attributes the rise in complaints to a variety of factors, including the surge in passenger numbers during the peak summer months, short layovers, crew overwork, and airport congestion. Seasonal strikes by airline staff further exacerbated delays and cancellations.
Record tourism in Spain
Spain remained a top destination for holidaymakers, with over 41 million tourists arriving in the country during the summer months. British tourists were the largest group, with more than 2.1 million visiting Spain in June alone. The influx of visitors put additional pressure on airports, particularly Madrid-Barajas, which saw a 5.7% increase in operations compared to last year.
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