The European Cockpit Association (ECA), representing 40,000 pilots across Europe, has released the second edition of its Social Rating of Airlines survey, with KLM emerging as the top airline to work for, receiving a 97% satisfaction score, surpassing defending champion Air France (94%).
Pilots praised KLM for its excellent working conditions and strong labour relations with the Dutch Pilots’ union, VNV. Other highly ranked airlines include Icelandair (92%), Widerøe (91%), Austrian (84%), and TAP (84%), with the latter seeing a notable 15% increase in satisfaction.
Captain Otjan de Bruijn, President of ECA, said: “As a pilot myself, I understand the importance of fair treatment and good working conditions. KLM’s success demonstrates the power of teamwork between management and unions. However, the overall dip in satisfaction in this year’s Social Rating is worrisome, and we must strive for higher standards industry-wide.”
The ECA says its Social Rating of Airlines survey is designed to provide transparency on working conditions for pilots, helping them make informed career decisions. Airlines are ranked into five categories: Social Excellence, Social Partner, Social Snail, Social Misfit, and Social Junk. ECA explains that these categories reflect pilots’ feedback on key factors such as work-life balance, employment terms, and labour agreements. The 2024 edition is based on responses from over 6,000 pilots across Europe, collected in May.
Compared to the 2021 edition, the ECA says the survey shows a decline in overall satisfaction across many carriers, with pilots citing longer working hours, inflation, and post-COVID labour negotiations as major factors behind this drop. While some airlines received praise for their training programmes, many still struggle with long-term pilot retention, the ECA added.
For example, Ryanair (42%) continues to be seen as a ‘stepping stone’ for pilots, although it did show a modest improvement, moving from Social Misfit to Social Snail. Wizz Air faces similar challenges with retention, as pilot testimonials suggest. Despite offering rapid career progression, the ECA says that Wizz Air’s anti-union stance has earned it a ‘Social Misfit’ ranking.
At the bottom of the rankings are Buzz (23%) and SmartLynx (20%), which the ECA says faced “severe criticism” from its members. SmartLynx was called out for poor planning stability and low wages, with pilots alleging that the airline uses staffing agencies outside the EU to bypass regulations. Meantime, the ECA says the Buzz is “plagued by self-employment practices and a lack of employee representation”.
Ignacio Plaza, Secretary General of ECA, added: “This survey is a wake-up call for the industry. While some airlines are on the rise, many still fall short of social standards. Our goal is to spotlight both exemplary practices and problem areas so pilots and passengers can make informed decisions.”
