Delta improves its customer satisfaction

The Detroit News

Delta Air Lines, the major passenger carrier at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, was the only traditional airline to improve in customer satisfaction during the past year, according to a J.D. Power & Associates study released Wednesday.

The Atlanta-based airline climbed two spots to rank third in traditional airline carrier satisfaction, behind Alaska Airlines and Air Canada, according to the 2012 North America Airline Satisfaction Study. Delta improved by 9 index points from 2011.

The study found that satisfaction among traditional airlines declined 4 points to 647 on a 1,000-point scale. Satisfaction among low-cost carriers improved for the third consecutive year.

The study measures satisfaction based on performance in seven categories, including cost, fees, in-flight services and boarding, deplaning and baggage. Many customers cited fees as a key factor in their satisfaction.

"The airline industry is caught between trying to satisfy customers who demand low prices, high-quality service and comfort, and contending with the economic challenges of profitably operating an airline," said Stuart Greif, a spokesman for J.D. Power and Associates. "Passengers want it all, but they are not necessarily willing to pay for it all."

Jetblue Airways and Southwest Airlines, which ranked top among low-cost carriers, achieved the highest overall satisfaction ratings among all airlines, with scores of 776 and 770, respectively. Neither charges passengers for checking a first bag.

Delta, which scored 659, charges $25 for the first checked bag and $35 for the second in the U.S. and Canada, according to its website. U.S. Airways scored the lowest among all airlines with 614 points.

"Not having bag fees is definitely important," said Juli Wallin, a Harbor Springs resident who was picking her children up Wednesday from a Southwest flight at Metro Airport. "We're already paying enough for each ticket."

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