Survey Tags IndiGo As Worst Airlines Globally; Here's What Airlines Said

IndiGo, India's largest airline, has been ranked among the worst airlines globally by AirHelp. The European agency, which processes air passenger claims, placed IndiGo at 103rd out of 109 airlines. IndiGo has dismissed the survey's findings and questioned its reliability.

AirHelp evaluates airlines annually based on three factors: punctuality, customer feedback, and compensation claim processing. Each factor contributes equally to the overall score. In its 2024 report, IndiGo received a score of 4.80, ranking it 103rd. Air India was the only other Indian airline listed, securing the 61st spot with a score of 6.15.

IndiGo's Response to Rankings

IndiGo has challenged the credibility of AirHelp's rankings. The airline highlighted that India's aviation regulator, DGCA, regularly publishes data on airline punctuality and customer complaints. According to IndiGo, it consistently performs well in these areas compared to other airlines of similar size.

The DGCA data shows that IndiGo maintains a low complaint ratio relative to its passenger volume. In October's air traffic report, IndiGo had just 0.2 complaints per 10,000 passengers carried. Only Vitara, now merged with Air India, had fewer complaints during that period.

DGCA Data vs AirHelp Methodology

IndiGo is sceptical about whether AirHelp considers DGCA data in its assessments. The agency claims to use data from various commercial vendors and creates its own database of flight information. It cross-references this with sources like government agencies and airport databanks.

The DGCA also reports on-time performance for major airports in India such as Bangalore and Delhi. In October, IndiGo led with a punctuality rate of 71.9%. This contrasts with AirHelp's evaluation where Brussels Airlines topped the list followed by Qatar Airways and United Airlines.

IndiGo's Market Position

With over 60% domestic market share, IndiGo is a major player in India's aviation sector. In 2023 alone, it transported more than 100 million passengers across both domestic and international routes.

Despite the negative ranking by AirHelp, IndiGo remains committed to providing timely and affordable travel experiences for its customers. The airline emphasises its dedication to maintaining high standards in service quality.

The debate over airline rankings highlights differing methodologies between agencies like AirHelp and national regulators like DGCA. While global rankings provide one perspective, local data often paints a different picture of an airline's performance.