The World’s Worst Economy-Class Cabin

Economy class is pretty bad, even at its best. And at its worst, it’s truly horrendous—a toxic mix of too-tight seats, rancid peanuts, and don’t-bother-me service.

So which airline’s coach class is the worst of the worst? Business Insider Australia set out to answer that question, using data compiled by airline reviewer Skytrax on such measures as seat comfort, in-flight entertainment, meals, and in-flight service.

Such perennial service under-providers as Spirit and RyanAir made the list, at 18th and 11th worst respectively, but the other contenders for the title of world’s worst airline will be mostly unfamiliar to U.S.-focused travelers.

The envelope, please:

1. Turkmenistan Airlines (rated 30.8 on a 100-points scale)
2. Sudan Airways (rated 33.3)
3. Ukraine International Airlines (rated 36.3)
4. Uzbekistan Airways (rated 37.5s)
5. Air Koryo (rated 39.2)
6. Bulgaria Air (rated 41.8)
7. Rossiya Airlines (rated 42.7)
8. Iceland Express (rated 42.8)
9. Tajik Air (rated 43.3)
10. Syrian Air (rated 44.8)

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Regarding Turkmenistan, the report noted that “terrible rankings on Skytrax for in-flight entertainment, seat comfort, service efficiency, staff response to passenger requests, and staff language skills make it the worst airline you can find.”

Next time you’re tempted to dub Spirit or US Airways or Frontier the worst airline ever, find some solace in the fact that the flight could have been worse. Much worse. It could have been Turkmenistan bad.

Reader Reality Check

What’s the worst flight you’ve ever taken?

This article originally appeared on FrequentFlier.com.
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