I'll put my vote well and truly with Iberia.

Apart from ALL the other things they've done to me and people I know, and our poor lost luggage throughout the years - the way they've treated unaccompanied minors in their charge is a shameful, unpardonable disgrace.

They made flights with Easyjet (and Ryanair) seem like the height of sophistication and efficiency. If they've improved recently, like many FTers say has happened, it must be because people like me have deserted them in our droves and they've had to finally buck their ideas up.

To put another airline in the mix, I'd say Alitalia have some work to do when it comes to Customer Services.

I've had nothing but good experience with IB, though their FF program is so bad it's a joke.

Vueling, the new Spanish LCC, is partly owned by JetBlue, flying similarly-configured new A320s, and my one experience with them (flying Barcelona to Seville) was perfectly pleasant and efficient. Did I mention the flight cost 10� each way?

A few weeks ago I was on a UX flight BCN-MXP and back. These guys have really gone downhill. Granted it was an hour flight, but the ENTIRE time they were on the PA hawking cans of soda, "duty free items" and 10� sandwiches. I got to the airport early and wound up waiting for two hours before their sole agent showed so I could go find a lounge while I waited.

Yet another vote for KLM.

Alitalia is a close second.

I have had HORRIBLE service with El Al. They have lost bags, been rude, bad food, and the longest lines for the bathroom I have ever seen in my life.

Gee, you link NWA to the downward spiral of KLM....now that's not fair. NW has always been nothing short of fantastic to me. And for this very reason, I continue to fly the airline.

As for KLM, I have never had a problem with them on transatlantic or intra-Europe flights. In fact, I look forward to using them again very shortly CDG-AMS (introducing some friends to a first time ride on NW and KL).


Cheers,
MIKE

I just linked the start of KLM going downhill with the start of their cooperation with NW. At that time (> 10 years ago), it was clear to everyone that NW was advising KL on how to cut costs. I believe NW were good teachers and/or KL was a good student. I have never flown NW so can't comment on their quality, but as recently as last year on a KL flight AMS to JFK the (American) guy next to me told me he always tries to get a KL trans-atlantic because "they are so much better than NW" (his words)

Anyway, on KL a lot depends on the crew you get. The guys and younger ladies are usually OK to very good, the older women are often horrible.

Some years ago I flew from Cairo to Brussels in C-Class on a 767. Boarding was delayed at the bus gate for unknown reasons. When we finally got on the bus, C-Class was last to board. Upon entry to the plane, it was obvious that the forward lavatory was broken and leaking undefined fluids (urine and something else) onto the floor. We were then told that the automated refueling system was broken, and the plane would be manually fueled. (I didn't have the courage to look out on the wing to see if Achmed was bringing up buckets of fuel to the wing). The purser noticed my concern, and told me not to worry, the plance was old but the engines were new. The last person to board was a mechanic in a red jump suit - I thought he was coming to fix the lavatory since he had a tool box with him. No, the purser told me a mechanic flies along to fix whatever breaks during the flight.

To top it all off, no alcohol, even though Egypt is a secular country. And finally, the "priority" bags from C-Class were the last to arrive, even though I had tendered necessary baksheesh to the 10 people that touched my bags. I am grateful that I survived this experience...

Ooooops, forgot to mention my nomination of "worst mainstream airline".

Not to sound too mean on this thread but I nominate two U.S. carriers as the "worst mainline airline", Delta and now-defunct Piedmont Airlines.

I can't seem to have any luck when it comes to DL (I'm kinda forced to use them a few times a year)- lost luggage at BOS [first time ever happened after decades of flying], frequent late connections/missed flights, too much chaos at ATL, senseless boarding procedure, cheated me out of a couple B727 flights when replaced with inferior B738 aircraft, beverages not served on many flights, and so on and so on and so on.

As for Piedmont, the worst flying experiences ever! Terrible customer service, very dirty aircraft (and I mean DIRTY, literally....crumbs and napkings on seats, sticky armrests, cigarette butts on the floor.....arghhhhh), always loud cabin noise/rattling on their B737-200 aircraft, and snooty FA's who have no interest in providing you with any kind of service. And I loved flying as a youngster (still do today) but Piedmont left such an unfavorable impression- I was so discouraged to fly (until I began using Pan Am on MSY/CLT/MIA/NYC flights). *grumble* I say good riddens to this lousy airline!

Cheers,
MIKE

Grareps:

I think it is inappropriate to make such incorrect comments about the safety procedures of any airline.

Regarding your thinly-disguised comments about Easyjet I would point out:

1. With their current aircraft fleet they would never depart with 2 flight attendants as this would be against aviation law, no captain would depart in that way, and the airline would lose their licence for it. There is a requirement to have 1 flight attendant per 50 passengers that all airlines stick to.

2. None of their aircraft seat anything like 170 passengers.

3. Despite your soubriquet, Easyjet, like many airlines, have never had a serious incident in their entire history.

Hmmmm......it is also my experience that "younger is better", not always, but most times.

Actually, there have been many folks who claim KL is better than NW....and perhaps in terms of product (aircraft type, seating, etc.) this may be the case. But in terms of overall impression, I give Northwest a full thumbs up! ^

Cheers,
MIKE

Air France. Need I say more?

Never seen a flight attendant on an Aurigny Trislander...

Hmm. I've taken nearly 30 flights with AF this year and I haven't had a single serious problem. In fact, other than a short delay here and there, I've had no problems at all.

I didn't say they 've suffered from accidents. But I am damn sure I have been on one of their flts with TWO FAs (I don't know how and why it happened but it did). Not sure of how many pax there were...I thought they were 168 or something but I could be wrong

EZY run 73Gs with 149 seats and 319s with 156 (ouch!). I've only flown on them once (STN-BIO return), and they certainly had the requisite 3 FAs. Don't they need one per row of exits as a minimum, as well as one per 50 pax? Can't remember. Can't say they're the worst I've been on, as I paid very little, and got an exit row.

What happens, though with very small flights? I've been on a very small NZ flight (AKL-KKE) which had no FAs at all (similar to Aviatrix's comment above). The captain was also the baggage handler And then I've been on GL helicopter flights that had an FA. How does this all work?