June 19--Passenger satisfaction with airlines improved 3.1 percent this year, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index released Tuesday. However, the most dominant carriers in the Chicago region, United Airlines and American Airlines, placed last in the study.
"While the industry matches its highest ACSI level in a decade, air travel continues to be problematic with low passenger satisfaction, rising prices, expanding fees, and generally poor customer service," the ACSI reported. "Passengers who pay to check bags are particularly disenchanted."
Customers who paid to check bags had a satisfaction rating of 62, compared with 73 for those who didn't pay. Indeed, the gain of airline satisfaction overall was at least in part due to fewer passengers checking luggage, according to the report.
Airlines scored an average of 67 on a 100-point scale, up from 65 in 2011.
Among individual airlines, Southwest, which had been in the top spot for 18 years, fell to No. 2, displaced by JetBlue.
Southwest's merger with low-cost competitor AirTran lowered its passenger satisfaction, as the airline declined 5 percent, to 77.
"Airline mergers tend to create significant passenger dissatisfaction in the short term as operations are combined and consolidated," said Claes Fornell, ACSI founder, in a statement.
Oddly, that didn't happen in United's combination with Continental. While it ranked dead last, United rose two points, probably because of Continental's traditionally high customer satisfaction buoyed United's traditionally lower score, the study said.
Among major airlines, the ranking order was JetBlue, 81; Southwest, 77; Delta Air Lines, 65; US Airways, 65; American, 64; United, 62.
Arline satisfaction ratings 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Previous
Year
%
Change First
Year
%
Change
Airlines industry 65 63 62 64 66 65 67 3.1 -6.9
JetBlue NM NM NM NM NM NM 81 N/A N/A
Southwest 74 76 79 81 79 81 77 -4.9 -1.3
All Others 74 75 75 77 75 76 74 -2.6 5.7
US Airways 62 61 54 59 62 61 65 6.6 -9.7
Delta 64 59 60 64 62 56 65 16.1 -15.6
American 62 60 62 60 63 63 64 1.6 -8.6
United 63 56 56 56 60 61 62 1.6 -12.7
NM=Not measured
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