2012 North America Airline Satisfaction Study Results
The gap between customer satisfaction with low-cost airlines, and with traditional carriers, remains wide and is getting wider, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 North America Airline Satisfaction Study. According to the recently released study, customers rate low-cost carriers 10.4% higher, on average, than they rate full-price, full-service carriers. That's up from a 10% differential in the 2011 study.
The study measures airlines' performance in seven areas, to determine overall satisfaction: cost and fees; in-flight services; boarding/deplaning/baggage; flight crew; aircraft; check-in; and reservation. The results indicate that while passengers generally are willing to put up with bare-bones service in exchange for a lower fare, they insist on expeditious processing, and resent extra charges. Conceivably, airlines that have to charge extra fees (for checked baggage, for example) can sweeten the pill if they can offer maximum courtesy and efficiency. According to the study, more than 70% of customer satisfaction is driven by issues other than fares and fees.
Among traditional carriers, Alaska Airlines ranks highest for a fifth consecutive year, with a score of 678 out of a possible 1,000, in a virtual tie with Air Canada (677). However, the only traditional carrier to improve its customer satisfaction score is Delta Air Lines, which scored 659. The average score for traditional carriers was 647.
Jet Blue was the highest-ranking low-cost carrier for a seventh straight year, with a score of 776. Southwest Airlines ranks second with 770; average score for low-cost carriers was 754.
Checked baggage fees appear to be a sore point with many passengers. On average, those who say they had to pay to check baggage experience lower satisfaction levels than those who didn't pay to check a bag--with satisfaction averaging 85 points lower among passengers who pay to check bags. The two highest-ranked low-cost airlines allow the first bag to be checked free; so does Air Canada.
The 2012 North America Airline Satisfaction Study measures passenger satisfaction among both business and leisure passengers of major carriers in North America. The study is based on responses from more than 13,500 passengers who flew on a major North American airline between May 2011 and April 2012. The study was fielded between July 2011 and April 2012.
The study measures airlines' performance in seven areas, to determine overall satisfaction: cost and fees; in-flight services; boarding/deplaning/baggage; flight crew; aircraft; check-in; and reservation. The results indicate that while passengers generally are willing to put up with bare-bones service in exchange for a lower fare, they insist on expeditious processing, and resent extra charges. Conceivably, airlines that have to charge extra fees (for checked baggage, for example) can sweeten the pill if they can offer maximum courtesy and efficiency. According to the study, more than 70% of customer satisfaction is driven by issues other than fares and fees.
Among traditional carriers, Alaska Airlines ranks highest for a fifth consecutive year, with a score of 678 out of a possible 1,000, in a virtual tie with Air Canada (677). However, the only traditional carrier to improve its customer satisfaction score is Delta Air Lines, which scored 659. The average score for traditional carriers was 647.
Jet Blue was the highest-ranking low-cost carrier for a seventh straight year, with a score of 776. Southwest Airlines ranks second with 770; average score for low-cost carriers was 754.
Checked baggage fees appear to be a sore point with many passengers. On average, those who say they had to pay to check baggage experience lower satisfaction levels than those who didn't pay to check a bag--with satisfaction averaging 85 points lower among passengers who pay to check bags. The two highest-ranked low-cost airlines allow the first bag to be checked free; so does Air Canada.
The 2012 North America Airline Satisfaction Study measures passenger satisfaction among both business and leisure passengers of major carriers in North America. The study is based on responses from more than 13,500 passengers who flew on a major North American airline between May 2011 and April 2012. The study was fielded between July 2011 and April 2012.
