ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Ryanair has been slated for its on-board hygiene levels in a Which? survey.

Almost 8,000 passengers were asked to rate the cleanliness of 42 global airlines in the study.

A total of 24 per cent of Ryanair passengers rated hygiene on board as "poor" compared with only one per cent of Swiss Air passengers; two per cent of Air France customers and six per cent of travellers on British Airways and Iberia.

Figures for Ryanair's rival European low-cost carriers Vueling Airlines and Wizz Air both stood at 10 per cent while eight per cent of Easyjet passengers rated hygiene levels as poor.

A Which? investigator boarded a Ryanair flight following the survey to take a look for themselves. The reporter discovered "greasy tray tables, soiled headrests and dusty window sills" on the plane in question. And an ultraviolet light picked up further stains on tray tables.

Which? travel editor Rory Boland commented: "There are steps you can take; either choose your next flight on an airline that has a good track record for cleanliness or equip yourself with some antibacterial wipes. If you are flying Ryanair though, a biohazard suit might be more appropriate."

Which? surveyed 7,901 members of its online panel in September and October 2018. A total of 12,459 experiences were logged, 10,474 of which were on economy flights.

Cathay Pacific, Air New Zealand, Qatar Airways and Emirates all came out best in the study with no passengers rating their hygiene levels as poor.