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 The annual American Customer Satisfaction Index found that
airlines scored 69 on a 100-point scale, compared with 75 for hotels
and 77 for Internet travel agencies. Though that grade was unchanged
for air carriers from the year before, only subscription TV service,
social media and Internet service ranked lower among other
industries tracked.
The ACSI Travel Index is based on random interviews with more than
7,400 U.S. customers of airlines, hotels and Internet travel
websites from October 2013 to March 2014. The poll is the latest of
several studies in recent weeks suggesting airlines have room to
improve various aspects of customer service.
An annual report from researchers at Wichita State and Embry-Riddle
Aeronautical universities found that while carriers overall had
fewer passenger complaints, on-time performance and mishandled
baggage rates worsened in 2013 from 2012.
Another study from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education
Fund found that Spirit Airlines, American Airlines Group and United
Continental ranked worst in terms of passenger complaints.
The ACSI study found that while airlines got high marks for the ease
of check-in and reservation procedures, the onboard experience could
be improved. Customers rated carriers low on the quality of
in-flight service such as beverages, bathrooms and seat comfort.
"The biggest challenge (for airlines) is the flight itself," David
VanAmburg, managing director of ACSI, said in an interview. He said
passengers give low marks on seat comfort because flights have
become crowded and cramped as carriers look to fill every seat. He
said he doesn't expect this trend to reverse since fuller airplanes
have helped airlines improve their financial performance.
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"It's been a clear trend in the industry in recent years to create
cost efficiencies by putting more people on the plane," VanAmburg
said.
Airlines with the highest satisfaction scores were JetBlue Airways,
Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines, the survey found. United
Continental had the worst score.
Hotels fared better than airlines in the index but lost stature as
room rates went up. The overall hotel industry ranking of 75 was
down from 77 in 2013.
Customers don't feel hotel amenities have improved as prices have
risen, VanAmburg said. Budget and middle-market hotels such as
Choice Hotels International's Econo Lodge fared worse in guest
satisfaction than luxury hotels. Marriott International's
Ritz-Carlton scored highest among hotel brands in the index.
(Reporting by Karen Jacobs in Atlanta; editing by Cynthia Osterman)
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