12. You Should Just Plan On Delays with United Airlines
United Airlines has such a track record of leaving passengers sitting on the tarmac for hours, the US Department of Transportation actually fined the carrier over a million dollars for that offense back in 2013. Three hours stuck in a stationary plane is hard for anyone to endure, especially when the terminal is in plain view. That same year, the company bumped almost 60,000 passengers due to overbooking and managed to misplace or mess up 236,326 luggage pieces. They caused a big outcry back in 2012 when they rescinded a pre-boarding priority for passengers traveling with small children, leading to an online petition that went nowhere. As far as customer service satisfaction goes, the skies aren’t so friendly with United Airlines anymore.
11. American Airlines, Because International Airlines Can’t Have All the Terrible Customer Service
Here are some statistics to justify American Airline’s place on the worst airlines in the world list. According to the Department of Transportation, only 78% of American Airlines flights managed to land on time in 2013. Overbooking snafus prevented 52,806 passengers from boarding flights, and they also registered 205,060 lost or damaged baggage claims that year. Stats aren’t likely to improve recently either, considering American Airlines is now merging with US Air – an airline that has its own bad reputation. It doesn’t bode well for passengers when two of America’s worst carriers in terms of customer satisfaction join forces.
10. The Air Quality on Air China Is Exactly As Good As the Air Quality in Actual China
China’s state-run airline is only 30 years old, but it has already seen its share of negative customer feedback. You should almost expect that their domestic flights won’t arrive on-time. Some SkyTrax reviewers have reported that passengers are often roaming the cabin during take-off, and flight attendants rarely enforce basic safety rules like wearing seat belts. The no-smoking rule doesn’t seem to be enforced, either. Furthermore, their Wings of China inflight magazine stirred up trouble in September 2016 by warning visitors to London that “precautions are needed when entering areas mainly populated by Indians, Pakistanis and black people.” Racist much?
