J.D. Power Airline Customer Satisfaction Rates Hit 10-Year High

Photo: Wongm.

It may come as a surprise, but customer satisfaction with North American airlines is at a 10-year high, says the J.D. Power 2016 North America Airline Satisfaction Study. 

The airlines are reaping what they have sown in terms of investments in the passenger experience, on-time performance, and better baggage handling, the company said. And it doesn’t hurt that falling fuel costs have allowed airlines to keep fares relatively low, and that passengers have grown accustomed to paying additional fees. 

The study measures passenger satisfaction based on seven factors. In order of importance, they are: cost and fees; in-flight services; boarding/deplaning/baggage; flight crew; aircraft; check-in; and reservation. Satisfaction is calculated on a 1,000-point scale.  

Overall satisfaction with the airline industry increased by nine points, to 726, the highest score since the implementation of the current methodology in 2006.  

Year-over-year passenger satisfaction with traditional carriers increased by 12 points, to 703, and with low-cost carriers by nine points, to 775.  

For the first time in the study’s history, business travelers are more satisfied than leisure travelers (733 vs. 725, respectively). 

The overall top-scoring airline was JetBlue Airways, with 790 points, though it scored lower in six of the seven criteria than it did last year. For the 11th consecutive year, it ranked highest in the low-cost category. Coming in second in the low-cost category, with 789 points, was Southwest Airlines, which improved in all seven criteria from last year. 

For the ninth year in a row, Alaska Airlines ranks highest in the traditional carrier sector, with 751 points. It performed well in all seven factors, the study said. 

Delta Air Lines, the second-place traditional airline, improved in all seven factors and scored 725 points. 

Other traditional carriers included in the study were American Airlines, 693 points; Air Canada, 681; and United Airlines, 675. The average number of points for the sector was 703. 

Other low-cost carriers included were WestJet, 723, and Frontier Airlines, 662. The average for the sector was 775. 

The study is based on responses from 10,348 business and leisure passengers who flew on a major North American airline between March 2015 and March 2016.