Germanwings has emerged as test winner in the Flugatlas low-cost airline efficiency study. The low-cost airline came top in the current study conducted by the association Mobil in Deutschland e.V. The organisation examined seven major low-cost airlines as well as Lufthansa according to precisely defined criteria and rated these according to a points system.

According to the results published this week, Germanwings scored 55 points, the highest of all the airlines in the test. Germanwings scored particularly well in the price, legroom, punctuality and frequent flyer programme categories. Germanwings also achieved the highest number of points when it came to booking functionality.

The airlines were awarded points in 14 categories. For example, important factors included how high the final price (including taxes, charges and one item of luggage) of a booking actually is or whether children receive a reduction. The age of the fleet, punctuality and loyalty programmes were also examined and rated. The airlines were awarded a maximum of four points in each category. One exception was the category “price on test booking”, in which it was possible to earn four times the number of points.

The organisers of the study: “When it came to additional costs it was important to compare these precisely, because often the very low advertised price turns out to be quite different in reality. Greater transparency, as is in fact stipulated in an EU directive, would be desirable. Our winner Germanwings shows that it is possible to be fair and transparent.”