World's Worst Airlines Revealed.

Skytrax has released its annual world airline star ratings, which are recognised as a global benchmark of airline standards. Once again, the industry’s worst performers have been named and shamed with a star rating of two or lower. Here are the worst offenders that you will probably want to avoid while travelling abroad.

It doesn’t matter how frugal you are — choosing the cheapest available plane ticket is usually a bad idea. The below airlines have consistently demonstrated a below-average performance across multiple Skytrax rating sectors, indicating that their front-line product and staff service standards are barely acceptable.

According to Skytrax’s website, a two-star airline rating “normally signifies poorer or inconsistent standards of product and front-line staff service for the cabin service and the home-base airport environment.”

A one-star rating, meanwhile, represents “a poor quality of Product delivered across the assessment sectors, combining with low and/or inconsistent standards of front-line Staff Service for the Onboard and home-base Airport.”

Topping the list as the world’s worst airline is North Korea’s Koryo Air. It is the fourth year in a row that the airline has received the lowest rating and the only receiver of a dreaded single-star rating.

Listed in alphabetical order, here are 23 airlines that received two stars or less from Skytrax, earning themselves the title of the world’s worst airlines. As you’d expect, many of the airlines featured on this list come from developing countries, although there are a few from affluent nations including Ireland and the USA.

Airline Country Skytrax rating
Air Italy Italy 2 stars
Air Koryo North Korea 1 star
Bahamasair Bahamas 2 stars
Biman Bangladesh Bangladesh 2 stars
Bulgaria Air Bulgaria 2 stars
China United Airlines China 2 stars
Cubana Airlines Cuba 2 stars
Iran Air Iran 2 stars
Lion Air Indonesia 2 stars
Mahan Air Iran 2 stars
Nepal Airlines Nepal 2 stars
Onur Air Turkey 2 stars
Pegasus Airlines Turkey 2 stars
Rossiya Airlines Russia 2 stars
Ryanair Ireland 2 stars
SmartWings Czech Republic 2 stars
Spirit Airlines USA 2 stars
Sudan Airways Sudan 2 stars
Syrianair Syria 2 stars
Tajik Air Tajikistan 2 stars
Turkmenistan Airlines, Turkmenistan 2 stars
Ukraine Int’l Airlines Ukraine 2 stars
Yemenia Yemen 2 stars

Has anyone had the displeasure of flying with one? Let us know in the comments!