ATLANTA – Customer satisfaction with the nation’s airlines has improved, bucking a three-year downward trend, a new study suggests.
According to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 North America Airline Satisfaction Study, overall customer satisfaction with airlines increased to 673 on a 1,000-point scale. That’s up 15 points from 2009.
“The fact that overall satisfaction with airlines has improved is particularly notable in light of a difficult economic year, in which add-on fees have continued to proliferate and two major airlines have merged,” Stuart Greif, vice president and general manager of the global travel and hospitality practice at J.D. Power and Associates, said in a news release.
Alaska Airlines topped the Traditional Network Carrier Segment with a 699 score, well above the segment average of 642. JetBlue Airways topped the Low-Cost Carrier Segment with a score of 764, above the 735 segment average.
“Receiving this honor for the third year in a row is a testament to not only our operational focus on running a safe, efficient, on-time airline, but also to our talented and dedicated employees, who have continually worked to deliver on our customer promises,” Alaska’s President Brad Tilden said in a news release.
To gauge overall customer satisfaction, J.D. Power and Associates looked at seven areas, including the flight crew, in-flight services and cost and fees.
“Airlines generally compete based on costs and fees, which is necessary to make their organizations stronger in an extremely difficult environment,” Greif said. “It’s important for carriers to remember, however, that building a base of committed passengers is also about creating a travel experience that fosters emotional attachment to a particular carrier, which in turn may make customers willing to flex their schedules or pay a little more for their flights.”
A number of recent surveys indicate more than half of Americans have a summer trip in their plans, and industry experts expect the airline industry to return to profitability this year.
“The question is whether airlines will take the necessary steps to improve the passenger experience and build commitment before rising prices and increased passenger traffic negate those efforts,” Greif said.
Traditional Network Carrier Segment
- Alaska Airlines, 699
- Continental Airlines, 672
- American Airlines, 642
- Traditional Network Carrier Segment Average, 642
- Delta Air Lines, 640
- Air Canada, 636
- United Airlines, 630
- US Airways, 613
Low-cost carrier segment
- JetBlue Airways, 764
- Southwest Airlines, 742
- WestJet, 740
- Low-Cost Carrier Segment Average, 735
- AirTran Airways, 704
- Frontier Airlines, 688