Rating North Korea's Air Koryo North Korea's flag carrier Air Koryo was for years listed by Skytrax as the world's only 1 star airline. It's no longer even rated but was a 1 star rating ever deserved in the first place?

In 2026, finding a "1-star" airline on major global ranking platforms like Skytrax is extremely rare, as most carriers that fall below a certain standard are either banned from international airspace or quickly go out of business. Historically, Air Koryo (North Korea) was famously the only airline to hold a 1-star rating for many years due to its aging fleet and poor cabin service, though its rating is often "suspended" due to a lack of current data. In the 2026 landscape, "low-rated" airlines (often 2-star) are typically regional carriers in developing nations that struggle with punctuality and outdated interiors. Conversely, global safety rankings for 2026 highlight Air New Zealand, Qantas, and Virgin Australia as some of the highest-rated for safety and service. Most "bad" reviews in 2026 are directed at ultra-low-cost carriers like Frontier or Spirit, but even they maintain higher-than-1-star ratings for basic safety compliance.

A 1-star airline rating (on the common 1-5 scale) is extremely poor and typically indicates severe, systemic problems with safety, reliability, customer service, and operations.

It’s important to note that no major international airline from North America, Europe, or East Asia holds a 1-star rating from the major airline rating agencies like Skytrax. A 1-star rating is essentially a “failing grade.”

However, a few airlines have been historically given a 1-star rating by AirlineRatings.com, which uses a different 7-star safety and product rating system. Their 1-star product rating is reserved for airlines providing a bare-bones, no-frills experience.

The most frequently cited example of a 1-star airline (in terms of product/service) is:

Air Koryo (North Korea’s state-owned airline) It has consistently received 1-star ratings from Skytrax for many years, often called “the world’s worst airline.” Criticisms include outdated Soviet-era aircraft (like the Ilyushin Il-62), very poor in-flight service, lack of amenities, and unreliable schedules. Note: Safety ratings for Air Koryo are separate and have improved somewhat with newer aircraft, but the passenger experience remains at the lowest tier.

Other airlines that have been given low ratings (often 1 or 2 stars) by reviewers or specific sites, usually due to a combination of poor service, old fleets, and operational issues, include:

• Sriwijaya Air (Indonesia)
• AirAsia India (specifically noted by AirlineRatings.com for a 1-star product rating due to its ultra-low-cost, no-frills model)
• SCAT Airlines (Kazakhstan)
• Blue Wing Airlines (Suriname)
• Sansa Airlines (Costa Rica - regional)

Crucial Context:

1. Rating Source Matters: Always check who is giving the rating.
   • Skytrax (1-5 stars): Focuses on inflight product and service.
   • AirlineRatings.com (1-7 stars): Combines safety (which is different and often higher) with product ratings.
   • Passenger Reviews (e.g., on TripAdvisor): Can be very harsh