U.S. Airlines With The Best And Worst Customer Service [Data Study]

/ 

AIRLINE GUIDES

Whenever you decide to book a plane ticket, you place yourself in the hands of an airline that will determine your entire traveling experience. You rely on a slew of professionals to do their jobs effectively and get you to your destination with all of your luggage in tow, preferably in a timely manner.

Of course, flights rarely go off without a hitch, and it’s likely that you’ll experience some kind of problem before you manage to reach your destination.

With this in mind, we decided to take a look at consumer complaints across commercial U.S. airlines to see what kind of customer experience is most common and which airlines are seeing the most frustrated customers.

Depending on your go-to airline, you might see that you chose wisely, or you might see that there’s a better option for you to choose for your next trip.

TABLE OF CONTENTS [SHOW]

Airlines with the Highest Percentage Of On-Time Arrivals

When you’re told the time that your flight will arrive, typically you’re hoping that your flight will, in fact, arrive at that time. As most passengers know, this is far from guaranteed, but there are some airlines with a much better track record than others.

According to our analysis, Hawaiian Airlines is the most likely airline to get you to your destination on time, with 86.5% of their flights arriving within the promised time frame.

Delta Air Lines comes in second, with 82.4% of their flights arriving on-time, followed by Endeavor Air coming in at 81.9%.

The riskiest airlines to take if you’re in a rush or you have a connecting flight are ExpressJet, Frontier, or JetBlue.

ExpressJet has just a 70% on-time arrival track record, and Frontier and JetBlue are tied at just 72% on-time arrivals. If you’re worried about missing your connection, these are not the airlines to book.

Airlines with the Highest Percentage of Canceled Flights

Of course, there’s nothing more frustrating than getting stranded after a flight gets canceled. It’s a relatively rare occurrence for a flight to be canceled completely, but it’s still a risk you run depending on the weather and the state of a particular aircraft.

ExpressJet has the highest percentage of canceled flights, making it the most likely airline to have a canceled flight and the least likely to get you there on time.

Envoy Air comes in second, followed by Mesa Airlines.

Delta was the least likely to have flights canceled, followed closely by Hawaiian Airlines and Allegiant Air. 

In all three cases, the percentage of canceled flights was less than 1%, making it very likely that you will reach your destination.

Delta and Hawaiian Airlines were also the top two airlines most likely to arrive on time, making them the most reliable airline options.

Airlines with the Most Mishandled Baggage

Once you get to your destination, hopefully your bags have made it too. However, misplaced luggage is a common problem, and airlines constantly have to deal with getting bags from point A to point B without incident.

Envoy Air had the highest average number of bags per 1,000 that were delayed, lost, diverted, or damaged in any way throughout the journey, at an average of 8.7 per 1,000 bags.

Meanwhile, Allegiant Air and Frontier Airlines had the lowest number of bags mishandled on average per 1,000.

The larger airlines deal with a higher volume of bags and are likely to experience issues with mishandled baggage. However, the highest number of bags mishandled in the timeframe we looked at was Southwest Airlines with 49,191 bags mishandled at some point during their passenger’s trip.

Customer Complaints by Airline

Any customer is allowed to lodge a complaint with the airline based on their customer experience. In many cases, customers do choose to make their displeasure known.

During the 10 months worth of data that we looked at, Frontier and Spirit Airlines tied for the most average monthly complaints per 10,000 passengers.

At 27 complaints per month per 10,000 passengers, they had the least satisfied customers overall. Meanwhile, Southwest and Endeavor Air averaged fewer than 5 complaints per month per 10,000 customers.

The nature of the customer complaints was another data point we looked at. The highest percentage of complaints in each category told us where each type of airline inconvenience was most common.

Based on those numbers, we found that Republic Airways was the most likely airline to have a passenger log a complaint about flight problems, while Sun Country Airlines was most likely to receive a baggage complaint. 

Analysis Methodology

This study looked at the Air Travel Consumer Reports for late 2018 through most of 2019 to identify monthly averages for complaints, on-time arrivals, and mishandled baggage.

The available data was from November 2018 through August of 2019. We took the monthly average for each data point to determine which airline had the best and worst track record according to 10 months of data.

We also looked at the number of passengers for each airline to see the number of passengers per 1,000 or 10,000 who were experiencing these problems on average.

Final Thoughts

Air travel is widely regarded to be the fastest method of getting from one place to another, but the fact is that there are a number of factors that can affect your arrival, and often they are outside of your and the employee’s control.

There’s nothing worse than getting bumped from your flight or getting stuck in the security line, especially because there’s nothing you can do!

However, you can choose the airline you book, and in this case, it would appear that Hawaiian Airlines and Delta are the most likely options to get you to your destination with a minimum of frustration.

Budget airlines are a great option, but they have lower costs for a reason, and in some cases, it might be worth spending a little bit extra for peace of mind. 

Source: https://upgradedpoints.com/us-airlines-best-and-worst-customer-service/

Best And Worst Airlines According To Consumer Reports Readers

In our latest survey, 55,000 members rate carriers on staff service, seat comfort, pricing transparency and more

For most passengers, air travel has become a constant struggle to avoid ultra-tight seating, hefty luggage fees, and itinerary-wrecking delays. But a small number of carriers deliver consistently good travel experiences, according to our readers in the latest airline ratings survey conducted by Consumer Reports.

To identify the best and worst airlines, we surveyed more than 55,000 members last summer, who reported on nearly 98,000 domestic economy flights and 8,700 first-class and business-class flights. These readers weighed in on almost a dozen factors, including their airline seat’s comfort and legroom, cleanliness, service by airline staff, food and beverage selection, WiFi connectivity, and pricing transparency.

Out of the 11 airlines surveyed, Southwest landed at the top of the ratings chart for overall satisfaction by passengers on economy flights. It earned high scores for staff service and ease of check-in, and cabin cleanliness. And it was the only airline to earn top marks for pricing transparency—this no-frills carrier clearly lists its fees and lets you check two bags for free.

Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, Virgin America, and Hawaiian Airlines are also among the highest rated airlines for economy flights. Like Southwest, these airlines also received favorable ratings for staff service, check-in ease, and cabin cleanliness.

Among the lowest-rated airlines by coach passengers are Frontier, Spirit, United, American and Allegiant Airlines. Additionally, Spirit and Frontier Airlines received low marks in all the categories we rated.

We also asked first-class and business-class travelers to rate their experiences. Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines are among the highest rated airlines for overall satisfaction by passengers.

Surprise Fees Rankle Travelers

Our survey found that pricing remains a crucial issue for coach passengers. Some four in ten travelers who booked their flight said they chose their airline because it had the cheapest flight available.

Yet more airlines are adding basic economy seating, which means flyers are increasingly paying additional fees for what used to be standard service. More than half of economy passengers in our survey were charged to select a better seat, and 40 percent who checked a bag were charged an extra fee.

It’s often difficult to avoid add-on charges, which may not be immediately clear when booking online. Half of those surveyed said they were unsure or could not remember if any extra fees were added to their bill when they purchased their ticket. 

Travelers also say that they are often confused during the booking process, according to Anna Laitin, director of financial policy for Consumers Union, the advocacy division of Consumer Reports. “Often, with some of these budget airlines, travelers think that they have to pay for a seat on top of the cost of the ticket,” Laitin says. 

Advocates say the airlines must do a better job of fee transparency. Last December the U.S. Department of Transportation dropped proposals that would have required airlines to disclose checked and carry-on bag fees at the start of a ticket purchase rather than later on.

Less Comfort in Coach

Although more than half of coach passengers did not experience in-flight or onboard problems with their flight, nearly 30 percent reported that their seat was uncomfortable. In fact, all the airline economy flights rated by Consumer Reports received low scores for the seat comfort and legroom categories.

That’s no surprise, since airlines are cramming more seats into their coach sections, even as the average American is growing larger. “These seats, in order to fit more of them in each plane, don’t have the foam padding of yesteryear,” says airline analyst George Hobica, founder of AirfareWatchdog, a travel site. 

For all the carriers, the complimentary and paid food and beverage choices were marked below average by coach passengers. Most airlines also received low scores for their WiFi connectivity and in-flight entertainment options.

The most common check-in or on-ground problem reported by survey respondents was a flight delay—12 percent of the flights we asked about were delayed, with the median wait lasting 76 minutes. 

Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines had the fewest flight holdups. Though Consumer Reports didn’t have enough data to report median wait time for Hawaiian Airlines, for those airlines that we did, Alaska and Southwest Airlines had the shortest reported delay times.

Winning in First Class

Of the five airlines rated for first-class and business-class travel, Hawaiian and Alaska Airlines are among the highest rated carriers. Hawaiian Airlines was the only airline to receive top marks for legroom. Alaska Airlines received the highest score for pricing transparency during the booking process. 

Though all five airlines receive higher overall satisfaction scores from first-class and business-class travelers, Delta landed in the middle of the pack. United and American Airlines are among the lowest rated, with average marks for seat comfort and below average scores for WiFi and in-flight entertainment.

Still, all five carriers received average or above average scores for staff service. And first-class and business-class passengers were generally more satisfied with their flight experience, compared with coach travelers—about what you’d expect given the extra amenities these carriers provide their higher-paying passengers. 

How to Find the Best Fares

More travelers pick airlines based on convenience rather than cost, our survey found. But you would do well to shop around. “No single travel site or airline consistently offers the best deals in all cases,” says William McGee, airline consultant for Consumers Union.

And if you can be flexible in your timing, you will improve your odds of finding a lower-cost ticket. Here are three tips for nabbing a cheaper airfare: 

Shift your travel dates. About 60 percent of passengers said the main reason for choosing their carrier was it had a flight that best fit their schedule. But if you have some leeway, check to see how ticket prices would change if you fly a day or two earlier or later, or if you leave early in the morning or late at night.

Compare flights at more than one airport. Some 36 percent of passengers cited availability of flights out of their preferred airport as the key reason for their choice. If you live near more than one airport, however, you may be able to trim your costs by broadening your search.

A quick check of airfares from the New York City area to Los Angeles found a nonstop economy flight departing from JFK airport in the mid-morning was $412, while the least expensive flight, priced at $332, left from Newark Airport, also mid-morning. 

Consider flying on a holiday. If you’re flexible enough to fly on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day and return on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day, airfares can be 25 percent to 50 percent less.

These 38 Airlines Have The Lowest Airline Safety Ratings

Getty Images

When thinking about the range of qualities we look for in an airline, the ability to deliver us to our destination alive is at the top of the list (just slightly edging out leg room). Safety is primary when flying: we want to travel on airlines that are rigorous about safety inspections, use innovative navigation technology, and adhere to basic best practices, like making sure the plane is heading in the right direction and closing all doors before taking off.

Unfortunately, some airlines—as per the ratings listed on AirlineRatings.com—have some work to do. The aviation safety–focused website performs a comprehensive analysis of data from several international aviation and government sources and gives every airline they monitor a numerical rating from 1 to 7. (Airlines that receive a 7 are considered the safest; those that receive a 1 are the least safe.) The ratings are based on several factors, including whether or not the airline is FAA-endorsed, if it meets International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) safety standards, and whether it operates only Russian-built aircrafts (which, apparently, automatically earns an air carrier a demerit). 

So which airlines flunked this evaluation? Here's a list of all the carriers that received a 3 or lower, divided by rating and how likely we'd be to fly on them:

That's Okay, I'll Pass (Rating: 3)

• Afriqiyah
• Air Bagan
• AirAsia Thailand
• AirAsia Zest
• Avia Traffic Company
• Bangkok Air
• Camair-Co
• Cambodia Angkor Air
• Drukair Royal Bhutan
• FastJet
• Felix Airways
• Fly540
• Garuda Indonesia
• JetStar Pacific
• LAM
• Libyan Airlines
• Nauru Airlines
• Orient Thai Airlines
• Polynesian Airlines
• Scat
• Somon Air
• Tajik Air

Definitely Not (Rating: 2)

• Airlines PNG
• Ariana Afghan Airlines
• Blue Wing
• Daallo Airlines
• Kam Air
• NOK Air

Not If You Paid Me (Rating: 1)

• Batik Air
• Citilink
• KalStar Aviation
• Lion Air
• Nepal Airlines
• Sriwijaya Air and Nam Air
• Tara Air
• TransNusa
• Wings Air
• Xpress Air

The World's 20 Safest Airlines

On a brighter note, AirlineRatings.com just released their annual announcement of the world's 20 safest airlines. At the top of the list for the third year in a row is Australian carrier Quantas, which has never had a fatality. Here's the full list, in alphabetical order: American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific Airways, Emirates, Etihad Airways, EVA Air, Finnair, Hawaiian Airlines, Japan Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa, Quantas, Scandinavian Airline System, Singapore Airlines, Swiss, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Australia.

By Anya Hoffman, a contributing digital editor at Travel + Leisure. You can follow her on Twitter at @anya_hoffman.

Report Gives US Airlines Lower Marks Across The Board. For The Third Straight Year, Virgin America Led The Rankings

• 

FILE- In this Nov. 26, 2013, file photo, flights departing from Pittsburgh International Airport... Read more

(AP) — Think flying is getting worse? A pair of university researchers who track the airline business say it's a fact.

More flights are late, more bags are getting lost, and customers are lodging more complaints about U.S. airlines, government data shows. Dean Headley, a marketing professor at Wichita State and one of the co-authors of the annual report being released Monday, said passengers already know that air travel is getting worse. "We just got the numbers to prove it."

For the third straight year, Virgin America led the rankings. The niche airline with a limited route network was followed by Virgin America.

Among other findings in the report:

—LATENESS: The percentage of flights that arrived on time fell to 76.2 percent last year from 78.4 percent in 2013. Best: Hawaiian Airlines. Worst: Envoy Air, which operates most American Eagle flights.

—LOST BAGS: The rate of lost, stolen or delayed bags rose 13 percent in 2014. Best: Virgin America. Worst: Envoy. Airlines lose one bag for every 275 or so passengers, but at Envoy, the rate is one lost bag for every 110 passengers, according to government figures.

— OVERBOOKING: The rate of passengers getting bumped from flights rose 3 percent. Best: Virgin America. Worst: a tie, between SkyWest and its ExpressJet subsidiary.

— COMPLAINTS: Consumer complaints to the government jumped 22 percent in 2014. Best: Alaska Airlines. Worst: Frontier.

Regional carriers, which operate flights under names like American Eagle, United Express and Delta Connection, tend to earn the worst marks. They fly smaller planes, so when airlines are forced to cut flights due to bad weather, they ground the regionals first to inconvenience fewer passengers. Envoy Air, which operates most American Eagle flights, finished last in the overall rankings.

But the picture was bleak at the four biggest U.S. airlines too. On-time performance fell and complaint rates rose at American, United, Delta and Southwest. The researchers blamed consolidation through mergers, which has reduced competition.

Headley said airlines performed better in the years after 2001, when travel demand fell and planes were less crowded. Airlines were also losing money. They returned to profitability when the airlines left after mergers limited flights to keep fares up. The average plane is now more than 80 percent full at most airlines, and many flights are oversold.

"They have put the same number of people in fewer airplanes," Headley said in an interview. "Anytime the system ramps up, it goes haywire."

Airlines are ordering new planes and making other investments that they promise will lead to better service. Many of the biggest improvements are targeted at the airlines' most valued customers — those in first-class and business-class sections.

The annual report is now in its 25th year. Headley and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University professor Brent Bowen use information that the airlines submit to the U.S. Department of Transportation.