The best UK airline to travel with for your Winter getaway

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As winter approaches, thoughts may have turned to a well-deserved winter break or jetting off to visit family and friends. Maybe you have been wondering what the best UK airline to book your next trip with is. Or you may find yourself stressing about what you need to pack and making sure you have appropriate clothing whether you’re heading somewhere hot and sunny or ensuring you have plenty of winter warmers if you’re travelling somewhere much colder like Lapland with the kids.

But one thought that may have escaped your mind is taking into account which airport and airline stands out from the rest. Luckily for many holidaymakers this winter, CallCare has taken away the stress by compiling a list of the best airports to fly from this winter, as well as looking at which is the best UK airline when it comes to customer service. Let’s take a look at some that came out the best for CallCare’s #TimeToAviate campaign. 

Best for customer service by phone

For those catching a flight with Emirates, you’ll be happy to know that they were the quickest to pick up the phone in a response time of just two minutes, a huge relief for customers who may have some last minute queries they want answering. Virgin Atlantic travellers however may not be as pleased to know that you have to wait, on average, an hour and 40 minutes to be able to get through to a customer representative, which can be a huge pain.

Many people find it easier to pick up the phone and have a conversation with another person, especially when they want a question answered, because let’s face it – travelling with children can be hard enough at the best of times, having that extra reassurance of a good travel company can make the experience much more enjoyable! 

A lack in customer service emails

For some issues, a paper trail may be key. Having queries and answers in writing can be hugely important should your issue escalate and can offer you relief and peace of mind should you find your Winter getaway off to an icy start. 

Unfortunately, only one of ten airlines has a contact email (KLM), yet the response was automated. It does come as a surprise that some big named airlines, including TUI and easyJet have no email address and can prove to be frustrating. 

Best for customer service by social media

Social media has taken the world by storm, with most people you know having an online profile on one or more platforms, and let’s face it, it’s perfect for uploading (and showing off) our summer vacations and winter getaways! 

Most companies are taking their social presence seriously, with many seeing their account as an extension of their customer service team. In the age of social media, many businesses are bragging about a quick response time on Facebook and Twitter, but how quick are airlines? 

If you are a frequent flyer with Qantas, you are in luck! The Australian airline bagged the quickest response time on Facebook and Twitter, with customers only having to wait six minutes for an answer! Virgin Atlantic performed better on social media, but still took 55 minutes on Facebook and over an hour on Twitter, with other big companies like British Airways not even getting back to customers.

The best UK airport to fly from

There are plenty of airports dotted around the UK to choose from and from the 10 that we contacted, only three of those answered the phone, with the quickest being London Gatwick airport with an impressive response time of only two minutes! Stansted and Manchester took a bit longer, but are relatively easy and hassle free to contact; a big plus for travellers, especially those with families or additional requirements which may make travelling just that bit more stressful.

For customers who would sooner email, the majority of the ten airports that we contacted have no email available, but for the three that we got through to, Luton airport got back in an impressive four minutes, with Bristol only taking 15! 

Which is the best UK airline overall

Ultimately, customer service may not be a huge factor when it comes to booking your Christmas escape with your little elves. However, it may actually be something to consider when you next set to the skies, as being able to speak to the company you fly with is definitely handy should you run into any issues before you set off or when you’re back on home turf! 

As of 2017, easyJet is the UK’s most popular airline. It flies from more than 65 destinations in the UK and Europe. Its services include flights to airports such as Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, and Paris Charles de Gaulle. EasyJet also offers low-cost flights to destinations such as Alicante, Barcelona, Faro, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca and Tenerife. It is not only a budget airline but also a fully fledged airline with more than 900 aircraft and over 3,000 daily departures. It also provides online check-in service and mobile boarding passes for passengers to use when they are travelling by air.

Although it has taken somewhat of a beating over the pandemic, British Airways still remains the United Kingdom’s largest and best airline to travel with. For a somewhat reasonable price, British Airways offers flights from London, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh to destinations around the world. With a wide range of flight options, you’re sure to find one that suits your needs. When it comes to check-in, British Airways has a very simple process that requires minimal time when things are running smoothly with an option to print your boarding pass at home or on your mobile device before departing to save time.

Do you have any horror stories regarding customer service? Join the conversation on socials using the hashtag #TimeToAviate.

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