J.D. Power Study Shows Airline Service In U.S. Is Improving
by Barbara Peterson /
U.S. airlines got some much-needed positive news this week, when J.D. Power and Associates, the global marketing information firm, released its annual airline passenger satisfaction study for North America—and found that consumers’ opinions of air service actually have improved overall.
The survey, which sampled more than 11,000 travelers over the previous year, measured performance in seven categories: costs and fees; in-flight services; boarding, deplaning and baggage; flight crew; aircraft; check-in; and reservations. The airline industry received a score of 756 on a 1,000-point scale, up 30 points or 3% from the previous survey.
That reflects what J.D. Power called “a trend of steady performance increases that began in 2013,” with the industry’s overall satisfaction index score rising a total of 75 points in that period, the study pointed out.
The higher score most likely reflects better technology that’s paid off in improved baggage handling and flight punctuality. But lest anyone think that the airlines are out of the doghouse, J.D. Power also noted that this year’s score, as improved as it was, was still the second-lowest of the many industries it tracks, with only the primary mortgage service industry getting a lower grade (of 755.)
According to Michael Taylor, the travel practice lead at J.D. Power, airlines “still rank among the bottom tier of most service industries, far lower than rental car companies and hotels,” which each scored over 800 points.
“The airline industry has many opportunities for improvement,” the study noted.
So which airlines scored the highest? The survey gave the highest grades to two airlines in the low-cost category: Southwest, with a score of 807, edged out JetBlue, a close second at 803 – after spending 11 years at the top spot for this segment.
Alaska Airlines was number one among traditional carriers for the 10th consecutive year, with an index score of 765, followed by Delta (758) and American (736).
And consumers in general said they were satisfied with their dealings with airline crews, recent video-gone-viral moments notwithstanding. But there’s still plenty of resentment on other fronts, namely the increasingly cramped conditions aboard domestic flights. When asked about their biggest beef with the airlines, “comfort of seat” was the top problem reported, while the “cleanliness of the airplane bathroom” was also cited as a big turnoff.
And the prospects for either of those things improving are dim, given the tighter quarters in most domestic coach cabins: planes are fuller than ever, with 84.6% of airplane seats occupied last year, the report said.