* AirTran is tops for 2nd year
* Smaller, discount carriers fare better
April 2 (Reuters) – U.S. airlines are doing a better job in
overall performance, improving on-time arrivals and handling of
lost bags, while drawing fewer customer complaints, an annual
report based on federal data shows.
An analysis of U.S. Department of Transportation airline
performance data shows that the industry’s overall quality
rating improved to -1.08 in 2011 from -1.20 in 2010. The
rankings are based on four factors: On-time performance, denied
boardings, mishandled baggage and customer complaints.
Dean Headley, associate professor at the W. Frank Barton
School of Business at Wichita State University and one of the
study researchers, said industry performance on all four factors
improved this year. Things have gotten better overall since
2007, when the airline quality score had its worst showing since
the yearly report was begun in the early 1990s, he added.
“Whether or not the consumer can actually notice this is
still kind of up for debate,” Headley said. “Sometimes small
changes don’t always translate to better expectations and better
perceptions of outcomes.”
Many U.S. airlines have cut costs and retired their least
fuel-efficient planes in recent years in a bid to return to
profitability.
“Fuel is one of those things they can’t do much about, but
they can control other things,” Headley said.
Among the 15 carriers rated in the latest year, 10 had a
better overall airline quality rating, the report said.
Smaller or discount carriers such as Hawaiian Holdings Inc
, JetBlue Airways and Alaska Air Group
had stronger showings than their bigger counterparts in the
current ranking.
AirTran, which was acquired last year by Southwest Airlines
, was No. 1 overall for the second-straight year as
customer complaints dropped and on-time performance improved.
Among more traditional carriers, Delta Air Lines
ranked sixth overall in quality of service, followed by
Southwest in seventh place and US Airways Group eighth.
Headley said Atlanta-based Delta was the only carrier to post
improvement in all four of the categories that influence the
report.
AMR Corp’s American Airlines, which filed for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last year, ranked 10th overall,
with a slightly improved score. The report noted poorer on-time
arrivals and higher customer complaints for American, even as it
improved its handling of lost baggage.
United Airlines and Continental Airlines, which merged in
2010 to create United Continental Holdings, were near
the bottom in terms of overall ratings for 2011 as their scores
worsened from the year earlier. Headley said disruption in the
wake of changes stemming from the merger likely played a role in
their performance.
Continental ranked 11th among the 15 carriers in the study,
while United was 12th.
The report is conducted annually by Wichita State University
and Purdue University based on data from the U.S. Department of
Transportation.
