The respected J.D. Power 2016 North American Airline Satisfaction Studyâ„ concludes passenger satisfaction climbed to a ten-year high as the result of better in-flight services and a “growing acceptance of extra fees.” Lower fares, less frequently lost luggage and better on-time arrivals didn’t hurt passenger assessment either.
That said, “The perception of the airline experience still has a lot of room for improvement,” says Rick Garlick, J.D. Power’s global travel and hospitality practice lead.
The company measured satisfaction by assessing passenger perception of cost and fees, in-flight service, boarding/deplaning/baggage, flight crew, check-in and reservations and aircraft. The study is pegged to responses from 10,348 passengers who flew North American airlines between March 2015 and March 2016.
Key findings include:
- Airlines have made a concerted effort to improve the overall passenger experiences by enhancing product and service offerings;
- Passengers are more tolerant these days of paying ancillary fees for things like extra legroom;
- Social media is the feedback tool of choice for passengers, especially business travelers;
- Business flyers are more satisfied than leisure travelers.
As for how the so-called “traditional” carriers rank, passengers put Alaska Airlines at the top of their list for a ninth consecutive year. Delta Air Lines was second. In the low-cost arena, JetBlue placed first, this for the 11th year running. Southwest Airlines was second, most notably in terms of how flyers rated flight crews and aircraft.
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