Alaska Airlines and JetBlue Earn Highest Customer Satisfaction Ratings

June 10, 2011

A new study finds that customers' satisfaction with airlines is improving while their dissatisfaction with fees continues to grow.

The J.D. Power and Associates 2011 North America Airline Satisfaction Study found that in 2011 overall customer satisfaction with airlines improved to an average of 683 on a 1,000-point scale; that’s up 10 points from 2010. Customers also gave low-cost carriers a satisfaction average of 751 in 2011, but customer satisfaction with traditional network carriers dropped to 651.

The study points out that both low-cost and traditional airlines improved their ratings from last year when it comes to customer experience like check-in and reservations--as consumers have grown more accustomed to automated check-ins and come to like how speedy they are--but lost points for added costs and fees.

“As more travelers return to the skies, many airlines have raised fares from the lower rates charged during the recession,” explains the study. “Additional fees for food, beverages, baggage, priority boarding and seat upgrades continue to weigh on satisfaction as carriers seek more ways to diversify and grow revenue, helping the industry return to profitability.”

Alaska Airlines earned the highest ratings among traditional carriers, while JetBlue got the honor for the sixth year in a row in the low-cost category. Southwest Airlines ranked second on the low-cost list.

Read more.

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Photo courtesy of JetBlue

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