As per J.D. Power and Associates’ customer-satisfaction rankings of North American airlines, JetBlue Airways Corp. and Continental Airlines Inc. have topped once again.
Continental finished first among traditional network carriers for the second straight year.
Despite severe delays and flight cancellations caused by weather and computer malfunctions in the past year, JetBlue remained the top-ranked U.S. low-cost airline carrier.
JetBlue Airways ranked highest overall for the third consecutive year, earning the highest ranking for low-cost carriers defined as airlines that operate single-cabin aircraft with typically low fares in 2006 and 2007.
The overall customer satisfaction based on performance in seven measures, including cost and fees, flight crew, in-flight services, aircraft, boarding/deplaning/baggage, check-in and reservation.
However six of the eight carriers saw their scores fall from 2006. That decline was largely limited to the eight network airlines rated. Their average score was 667 out of a possible 1,000 points, down eight points from the 2006 survey.
The worst low-fare carrier, AirTran Airways, with 721 points scored higher than the best network carrier did, Continental, with 704 points. Northwest Airlines scored the worst in customer satisfaction amongst the eight major airlines.
Even as the skies are getting crowded, competition between airlines is getting tighter. At the end of the day it is customer satisfaction that’s going to get more passengers on board.
Source: Dallas News
