The Best and Worst Airlines of 2019

2019 was a turbulent filled year for many airlines, while others seemed to have smooth flying all year. Two of the main contributors to the success of airlines this year were the companies’ ability to schedule flights around bad weather and compliance between employees and a company’s management.

Different sources ranking U.S. airlines, like Forbes and the Wall Street Journal, consistently rank Delta Airlines as number one. Delta has consistently ranked at the top of the charts since 2017. Delta had the most on-time arrivals, had 1,345 lost or late delivered bags on average per day, and only bumped 9 passengers from flights this year. Despite Delta Airline’s reported 84% jump in reported incidents with untrained animals in recent years, their overall ranking was unaffected.

American Airlines’ ranking has continued to fall in recent years. Forbes ranked American Airlines as number eight out of 9, while the Wall Street Journal ranked the company as number nine out of nine. Since December of 2015, American Airlines had been negotiating with mechanics, but in the summer of 2019, American Airlines claimed that their mechanics were causing delays to show resistance against the airline company for not meeting the mechanics’ terms in their new contracts. By June of 2019, the airline company averaged almost 80 maintenance-related cancellations or delays each day.

Internationally, Qatar Airways consistently ranks number one. Their private seating areas, comfortable and spacious economy seating, and their partnerships with various international airlines led them to the top-ranking spot.

Companies like Boeing are trying to rebuild their reputation with bigger and better planes, like the 777X-9X. This plane flies at a lower altitude, which reduces fatigue and jet lag. Overall, the design of this plane creates a smoother ride by providing cleaner air and less cabin noise.

No American airline company has made their way into the international rankings, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see companies like Delta making their way into international rankings in upcoming years.