I Ranked These 4 European Airlines By School Grades & I Think One Should Be Held Back

The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.

When it comes to European airlines, there's a lot to choose from. As a Canadian travelling, it's wild to see the wide variety of options to fly with when I go abroad.

Every time I take a trip overseas, I'm shocked by how different European airlines are from Canadian airlines. Most of them are in a league of their own, surpassing Air Canada by leaps and bounds.

While I'm dishing out grades to these four European airlines I recently travelled with, it's important to keep in mind that most of them were better than the Canadian alternatives. The way I think about it, these are all at the university level, while Air Canada is stuck in elementary.

So, whether you're planning a trip or just want some insight into what airlines stand out in Europe, here are my official opinions based on my recent experience.

Condor: B +

My Frankfurt to Halifax flight on Condor was a solid experience. They gave me a little pillow and a blanket so I could get cozy on the long haul. The movie selection was amazing, and they had a complimentary meal (pasta) that wasn't too bad.

The seats were pretty typical, and the staff was very helpful throughout. One negative was that there was a delay, and we sat on the tarmac for about an hour before taking off without knowing why. I always appreciate it when the crew communicates with the passengers!

EasyJet: D

To be fair, I've heard some people have great experiences, and this is a budget airline. Even though I wasn't expecting much from my super cheap ticket, I was still somehow disappointed.

I didn't expect to get free food or drinks like my other flights, but this one was downright chaotic.

They were extremely strict on how large your carry-on baggage was, measuring each passenger as they went through the boarding line. My friend's was a tiny bit over, and they made her pay to check it.

The boarding process itself took forever, and then we were ushered out on the tarmac to board. It was kind of just a free for all with no staff to direct us onto the plane. There was also no clear spot to leave the sky-checked bag, so my friend just kind of hoped for the best and set it beside the plane.

Despite the delay, there was little communication from the staff about what was going on.

On top of the squished legroom and lack of service, it was a rough experience overall.

Sorry EasyJet, but you're getting held back a grade!

Swiss Air: A

My flight on Swiss Air was lovely, especially because they gave us a tasty pastry for free. It was a pretty short connecting flight, so I was impressed to be getting a snack and some complimentary chocolates!

The check-in process and boarding were smooth, and overall I would definitely fly with them again.

As an added bonus, the flight attendants were extremely kind. One even recognized the guy sitting beside me, who took the flight often, which was super sweet.

Lufthansa: A+

My flight on Lufthansa from Halifax to Frankfurt exceeded expectations. The staff was incredibly friendly and even helped me stuff my huge carry-on bag into the overhead bin. They also checked in often throughout the flight, which was nice.

For the long journey, they provided a meal option of chicken or pasta, and the pasta was actually pretty good. They also had pillows and blankets, as well as an eye mask so I could enjoy a bit of rest.

Meal on the Halifax to Frankfurt flight.Morgan Leet | Narcity

The whole experience was super smooth, and I was thoroughly impressed.