British Airways and Virgin top customer poll

A new survey of customer satisfaction with UK companies has revealed that Britons rate British Airways and Virgin Atlantic as the top-performing transport firms.

The UK Customer Satisfaction Index from the Institute of Customer Service (ICS) measured a range of firms in the transport sector, among other industries, and discovered that the two carriers appear to be the best at dealing with customers.

Overall satisfaction with British Airways recorded an index rating of 74.4, while Virgin Atlantic scored 73.2. One low-cost airline, however, languished at the bottom of the table for customer satisfaction.

According to travolution.co.uk, Ryanair managed a rating of just 55, well below the industry average. Fellow budget airline easyJet fared little better with a score slightly higher than the average.

ICS executive director Robert Crawford said that many of the low ratings for big firms in other sectors could be attributed to their current or former status as monopolist organisations.

"Sectors such as utilities and transport - trains, buses - that have gone private can still retain tendencies towards a monopolistic mind-set, which does tend to breed a take-it-or-leave it attitude. Some, of course, such as Ryanair, don't have that excuse. And there are also good examples in these sectors such as BA and Virgin," he commented.

The survey found that overall customer satisfaction in the UK is currently at 86 for all sectors.

• British Airways boss underlines Heathrow Airport importance
• Emirates completes move to new terminal in Dubai
• United Airlines to resume flights from London to Denver
• British Airways strikes inflight entertainment deal
• Tunarama Festival to attract visitors to Australia
• Paphos Airport gets off to good start
• British Airways fliers to "breeze" through JFK
• Winter season underway in Austria
• Ski slopes opening in Alberta
• Air Berlin launches new flights from Stansted Airport