Simply
put, flying can be a stressful activity.
A lot of
the time it begins with the airports: dizzying parking garages, overpriced food
and a series of long lines have a way of making even the most serene travelers
a little bit agitated. And that's even before the airplane leaves the ground.
So it's easy to see how poor service from an airline can put the finishing
touches on a ruined day -- long check-in lines, flight delays, lost luggage,
baggage fees and general rudeness have a way of doing that. Not to mention the
scary food (at least it used to be free scary food).
Based on
the Airline Quality Rating (AQR) Report, which covers 18 domestic carriers,
here is a list of the airlines that could stand to do the most work on making
their customers happy. The report's conclusions are based on surveys of airline
industry experts, with positive and negative values assigned to different
elements in airline quality. Several common complaint areas were factored in --
including on-time arrival, mishandled baggage, delays and involuntary denied
boardings -- the scores of which were then calculated to produce an overall
quality score. We also took a look at a number of other sources, including the
American Customer Satisfaction Index and the Air Travel Consumer Reports by the
U.S. Department of Transportation. Regional airlines are ranked separately
because of their tendency to score lower.
Worst Major Airlines
5. US
Airways
2009 AQR
Score: -1.19
While US
Airways improved five percent in passenger satisfaction according to the
American Customer Satisfaction Index, they were one of three airlines cited as
having the rudest flight attendants and serving the worst food, in a survey
conducted by SeatGuru last year. Additionally, US Airways received a
below-average score in the J.D. Power 2010 North America Airline Satisfaction
Study.
Domestic
Baggage Fees:
1st Bag:
$25
2nd Bag:
$35 3rd Bag: $100
Overweight
Bags: $50 Extra (51 - 70 lbs) $100 Extra (71 - 100 lbs)
Oversized
Bags: $100 Extra (larger than 62")
4.
American Airlines
2009 AQR
Score: -1.25
American
Airlines has an Airline Quality Rating (AQR) of -1.25 -- which isn't awful, but
where its reputation takes the hardest hit is with its regional airline,
American Eagle (more on it later).
This year
AA has had frequent incidents of mishandled baggage with an average of 4.07
reports per 1,000 passengers, according to the Air Travel Consumer Reports
(this is the worst rating among the major airlines in the study). SeatGuru's
survey named American Airlines as one of the three airlines that have the rudest
flight attendants and the worst food.
Domestic
Baggage Fees:
1st Bag:
$25
2nd Bag:
$35
3rd Bag:
$100
Overweight
Bags: $50 (51 - 70 lbs) $100 (71 - 100 lbs)
Oversized
Bags: $150 (larger than 62")
3. Alaska
Airlines
2009 AQR
Score: -1.39
Alaska
Airlines has an Airline Quality Rating (AQR) of -1.39, which can be partially
attributed to the airline's high number of mishandled baggage reports.
According to Air Travel Consumer Reports, the airline averaged 3.98 incidents
per 1,000 passengers last year. However, Alaska Airlines did a stellar job when
it came to delays, with 88 percent of its flights having on-time arrivals (in
the 12-month period ending August 2010).
Domestic
Baggage Fees:
1st Bag:
$20
2nd Bag:
$20
3rd Bag:
$20
Overweight
Bags: $50 (51 - 100 lbs)
Oversized
Bags: $50 (63 - 80") $75 (81 - 115")
2. United
Airlines
2009 AQR
Score: -1.43
Now that
the merger with Continental Airlines is official, United can turn its attention
to improving customer service. United received a score of "about
average" in the J.D. Power 2010 North America Airline Satisfaction Study
but it placed last in passenger satisfaction in the American Customer
Satisfaction Index. According to the SeatGuru survey, United joins American
Airlines and US Airways as one of the three worst airlines for meals and rude
flight attendants. In addition, the Air Travel Consumer Reports places this
airline second in consumer complaints (behind Delta), averaging 1.82 per
100,000 enplanements in 2010.
Domestic
Baggage Fees:
v1st Bag: $25
2nd Bag:
$35
3rd Bag:
$100
Overweight
Bags: $100 (51 - 100 lbs)
Oversized
Bags: $100 (larger than 62")
1. Delta
2009 AQR
Score: -1.73
Delta had
the worst AQR among major airlines with a -1.73, and a couple of its regional
airlines did even worse (see Comair and Atlantic Southeast below). It also had
the largest drop in passenger satisfaction in the American Customer
Satisfaction Index. According to the Air Travel Consumer Reports, Delta was
number one in delays for major airlines (78 percent of flights arriving on time
in the 12-month period ending August 2010) and first in consumer complaints (averaging
2.23 per 100,000 enplanements in 2010). Also, make sure to note Delta's baggage
fees below, as they can get quite painful for those hauling heavy and/or large
cargo.
Domestic
Baggage Fees:
1st Bag:
$25 ($23 if checked online)
2nd Bag:
$35 ($32 if checked online)
3rd Bag:
$125
Overweight
Bags: $90 (51 - 70 lbs) $175 (71 - 100 lbs)
Oversized
Bags: $175 (larger than 63 - 80") $300 (larger than
81 - 115")
Worst Regional Airlines
Please
note that the regional airlines follow the baggage fee structure of whichever
major airline you happen to be flying under.
4.
SkyWest
2009 AQR
Score: -1.57
SkyWest
Airlines has several hubs throughout the United States, including Chicago and Los Angeles. SkyWest received a -1.57 AQR,
which is the fifth worst score overall among the airlines covered in the 2010
Airline Quality Ratings. One area that contributed to this score was mishandled
baggage, where they averaged 5.69 incidents per 1,000 passengers last year. It
acts as a regional airline for AirTran, Delta Connection and United Express.
3. Comair
2009 AQR
Score: -2.22
With a
-2.22 AQR, Comair got the third worst score overall among the airlines surveyed
in the 2010 Airline Quality Ratings. Mishandled baggage was an issue, with an
average of 6.04 incidents per 1,000 passengers last year. Comair was also
number one in delays overall, with only 73 percent of flights arriving on time
in the 12-month period ending August 2010, according to the Air Travel Consumer
Reports. Comair is a regional for Delta Connection, with its main hubs at
Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky and JFK airports.
2.
Atlantic Southeast
2009 AQR
Score: -2.49
Atlantic
Southeast serves as a regional airline for Delta Connection and United Express
with several hubs in the States, including Memphis and Chicago. It has the second most
incidents of mishandled baggage (6.67 reports per 1,000 passengers on average
in 2010 so far) according to the Air Travel Consumer Reports. Atlantic
Southeast received a -2.49 AQR, which is the second worst score overall among
the airlines covered in the 2010 Airline Quality Ratings.
1.
American Eagle
2009 AQR
Score: -2.83
With a
-2.83 AQR score, American Eagle has the unwelcome distinction of having the
worst score overall among the airlines covered in the 2010 Airline Quality
Ratings. According to the Air Travel Consumer Reports, it also had the most
incidents of mishandled baggage (7.41 reports per 1,000 passengers on average
in 2010 so far) and was number two in delays, with only 76 percent of flights
arriving on time in the 12-month period ending August 2010. American Eagle is
the main regional for American Airlines. American Eagle operates out of a
number of hubs in the United States, including Boston and Dallas.
Tanxx@ Reading!!!
'Give Your Dreams The Wings To Fly'
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