When a flight is delayed or canceled, obtaining compensation is not always straightforward. Some airlines handle passenger claims quickly, while others make it necessary to pursue legal avenues. The AirAdvisor 2026 Honesty Index takes stock of this, analyzing how carriers respond to compensation requests filed between January and June 2026.
The ranking compares 22 airlines, identifying those more willing to acknowledge refunds and those facing greater difficulties in handling complaints. The results reveal significant differences in the indemnity management, but they do not constitute an evaluation of safety or the overall quality of service offered by the airlines.
TAP Air Portugal: the most honest airline
It is TAP Air Portugal that takes the top position in AirAdvisor’s 2026 Honesty Index, scoring 93 points out of 100. Of 159 valid requests, the Portuguese carrier recorded a positive resolution rate of 88.7%, the highest among the ranked carriers. Only 0.6% of cases ended up in court, and the average time to receive payment was about 10 days.
TAROM: the least honest airline
At the opposite end sits TAROM, the Romanian flag carrier, which closes the ranking with 23.3 out of 100. Of 122 valid requests, only 3.3% were resolved positively, while in 46.7% of cases legal action was necessary. The average payment time noted in the analysis is 110 days.
The best and the worst performers
To compile the AirAdvisor ranking, 68,283 cases involving 59 airlines were considered. Among these, the 22 with at least 100 valid requests were selected.
The most honest airlines
In second place is LOT Polish Airlines, with 89.7 points and 82.8% of requests resolved positively. The Polish airline did not record any court appeals in the sampled data. Completing the podium is Wizz Air, which reaches 83.2 points, with 72.7% of requests resolved and only 1.2% of cases brought before a judge.
Among the airlines achieving positive results are also Iberia, fourth with 79.8 points, and Brussels Airlines, fifth with 78.8. In the upper portion of the ranking, Air France, Aegean Airlines, KLM, and ITA Airways also appear, the latter in ninth place with 70.7 points. For the Italian carrier, the positive-resolution rate is 51.7%, while the average payment time reaches 33 days.
- TAP Air Portugal: 93.0 points
- LOT Polish Airlines: 89.7 points
- Wizz Air: 83.2 points
- Iberia: 79.8 points
- Brussels Airlines: 78.8 points
- Air France: 74.2 points
- Aegean Airlines: 73.8 points
- KLM: 70.8 points
- ITA Airways: 70.7 points
- SAS: 68.3 points
- TUI Airways/TUI fly: 66.0 points
The least honest airlines
Among carriers with the worst results, AeroItalia also features, second-to-last with 29.1 points: only 0.6% of requests were resolved positively and 28.2% ended up in court. Ryanair sits at the third-to-last position, with 34.2 points, a 2.1% resolution rate, and 17.8% of cases brought before a judge.
Followed by Air Europa and Lufthansa, with 34.6 and 37.7 points respectively. easyJet also appears in the lower part of the ranking, with 38.8 points and only 0.3% of requests resolved positively.
- TAROM: 23.3 points
- AeroItalia: 29.1 points
- Ryanair: 34.2 points
- Air Europa: 34.6 points
- Lufthansa: 37.7 points
- easyJet: 38.8 points
- SATA/Azores Airlines: 40.1 points
- Eurowings: 41.1 points
- Condor: 44.1 points
- Vueling: 53.5 points
- British Airways: 64.4 points
