India's IndiGo ranked among the world's worst airlines in 2024 global rankings

India’s leading airline, IndiGo, has been ranked among the world’s worst carriers in the 2024 global airline rankings released by AirHelp, a company specializing in passenger compensation claims.

The report placed IndiGo at 103 out of 109 airlines evaluated, raising concerns over service quality and customer satisfaction.

Meanwhile, Brussels Airlines of Belgium took the top spot, dethroning Qatar Airways, which had dominated the rankings since 2018. Air India fared better, securing 61st place, while AirAsia was ranked 94th.

How the rankings were determined

The AirHelp Score report evaluated airlines based on three key criteria: claim processing, on-time performance, and passenger satisfaction. Claim processing measures how efficiently airlines handle compensation claims for delays, cancellations, and baggage issues. On-time performance assesses the punctuality of flights, including both arrivals and departures.

Passenger satisfaction is based on feedback from travellers across 54 countries, covering aspects such as service quality, food, comfort, and crew behaviour.

Data for the 2024 report was collected between January and October this year. AirHelp CEO Tomasz Pawliszyn said that the rankings aim to encourage airlines to prioritize customer feedback and improve services.

IndiGo’s ranking and challenges

IndiGo, a giant in India’s aviation sector, fared poorly in customer service and comfort, dragging it to the bottom of the list. While the airline is often celebrated for its performance domestically, these global rankings reveal significant gaps in meeting international service standards. 

Other poorly ranked airlines include Tunisia’s Tunisair, which was last at 109, and Bulgaria Air at 106. North American airlines such as Air Canada and JetBlue also featured in the bottom 50.

Tunisair ranked the worst due to consistent delays and poor customer service.

100. Sky Express (Greece)

101. Air Mauritius (Mauritius)

102. Tarom (Romania)

103. IndiGo (India)

104. Pegasus Airlines (Turkey)

105. El Al Israel Airlines (Israel)

106. Bulgaria Air (Bulgaria)

107. Nouvelair (Tunisia)

108. Buzz (Poland)

109. Tunisair (Tunisia)

Top airlines in 2024

Brussels Airlines, a subsidiary of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, soared to the top spot this year after being ranked 12th in 2023. It displaced Qatar Airways, which now holds second place.

U.S. carriers United Airlines and American Airlines made it into the top five, ranking third and fourth, respectively, despite widespread domestic disruptions in the U.S. aviation market.

1. Brussels Airlines (Belgium) 

2. Qatar Airways (Qatar) 

3. United Airlines (USA) 

4. American Airlines (USA) 

5 Play Airlines (Iceland) 

6 Austrian Airlines (Austria) 

7. LOT Polish Airlines (Poland) 

8 Air Arabia (UAE) 

9 Widerøe (Norway) 

10. Air Serbia (Serbia)