Flying can be daunting for some the thought of travelling up in the air for hours on end is enough to put people off. Even more so when it comes to bumpy landings.
New research from BoyleSports has shed light on which of the nation’s favourite airlines have the roughest landings. By analysing Tripadvisor reviews for 20 of the UK’s most popular airlines, the team set out to uncover which carriers are most frequently associated with the dreaded bumpy landing.
To do this, BoyleSports sifted through thousands of reviews on Tripadvisor, focusing specifically on those mentioning the term ‘bumpy landing’.
Researchers then enclosed a diverse range of carriers, from budget airlines to premium long-haul options.
The airlines that were analysed included: Aer Lingus, BA CityFlyer, British Airways, Eastern Airways, easyJet, jet2.com, Loganair, Ryanair, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Wizz Air, Emirates, Qantas, TUI Airways, KLM, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, American Airlines, Etihad Airways, Air Canada and Air France.
Ryanair tops the list with the highest number of mentions of ‘bumpy landing’, appearing 179 times in TripAdvisor reviews. Known for its budget-friendly fares, this low-cost carrier is frequently associated with less-than-smooth touchdowns.
While it provides affordable flights across Europe, many passengers report experiencing a bit of a jolt upon arrival at their destinations.
Despite, Ryanair coming top of the list, travellers have shared their flight experiences with Ryanair on Twitter and heaped praise on the airline.
One person said: “A big round of applause for our @Ryanair pilot as we landed at Dublin Airport just now. A very bumpy landing but I think everyone was very grateful not to be on the way to Manchester.”
Another claimed: “Our landing with @Ryanair in @CorkAirport this afternoon was pretty bumpy too… The pilot was great and got us down safely. We had been told that the flight could have been diverted to @ShannonAirport.”
A third commented: “Seeing all these ‘go around’ videos and nightmare landing stories I’m thankful I managed to make it back from Austria with only a bumpy approach to Manchester Airport earlier today thanks to @Ryanair.”
Finally, a user shared: “@Ryanair flight FR112 from Dublin to Gatwick. Flight was bumpy given weather conditions but the landing was perfect, credit to your pilot and co-pilot given the weather conditions. Stay safe out there everyone.”
However, not all users were pleased with the airline, with one commenting: “@Ryanair on the 1,715 hours flight from Bournemouth to Palma on August 24, 2024. Despite this calm photo, the landing was so bumpy, it was like the pilot forgot to break and then did, we all shot forward in our seats. Worst landing ever for me.”
Another said: “Sure @Ryanair just rack em and stack em. A bumpy landing is just a bonus for the deportees.” A third shared: “Bumpy?! That’s a normal Ryanair landing!”
Meanwhile, easyJet and Jet2.com also rank highly among the airlines most frequently associated with bumpy landings gaining 53 and 85 mentions, respectively.
Yet, it’s not just the low-cost options that feature prominently. Even major airlines like British Airways with 39 mentions and American Airlines, gaining 51 mentions, have garnered their share of feedback regarding rougher descents.
The top 10 airlines most mentioned for bumpy landings in the UK:
- Ryanair – 179 Mentions
- jet2.com – 85 Mentions
- TUI Airways – 53 Mentions
- easyJet – 53 Mentions
- American Airlines – 51 Mentions
- BA CityFlyers – 40 Mentions
- British Airways – 39 mentions
- Qantas – 15 Mentions
- Air Canada – 18 Mentions
- Singapore Airlines – 14 Mentions