How satisfied are travelers with U.S. airlines?
They were last year, according to the results of the most recent version of the American Customer Satisfaction Index, an independent benchmarking study developed.
According to the report, “Passenger satisfaction airlines is up 4.2 percent to 75 on a scale of 0 to 100.” So, a self-improvement advancement that is wonderful.
The big picture, however, is significantly less rosy: “The group stays mired in the base one-third of industries tracked by the American Customer Satisfaction Index.” To put it differently, airlines are held just, in the same esteem as hospitals above suppliers and the post office, and just under gas channels and Internet information and opinion publishers.
There was.
Here ACSI’s 100-point scale, rated from best to worst, revealing both also the changes versus last year and their Hottest scores was scored on by airlines:
- JetBlue — 82, up 2 points
- Southwest — 80, no modification
- Alaska — 78 up 1 point
- American — 76, up 6 points
- Delta — 76, up seven points
- Allegiant — 71, up 9 points
- United — 70 up 3 points
- Frontier — 63 down 5 points
- Spirit — 61, down 2 points
JetBlue and Southwest on Spirit, and Frontier and top on the bottom. No great surprises there.
And here are the scores for the benchmarks used to rate the airlines, again demonstrating both the year-over-year change and the current score:
- Ease of check in — 82, up 1 point
- Ease of reserving — 82 up 2 points
- Flight crew — 81 up 2 points
- On time coming — 81 up 2 points
- Site gratification — 81, up 2 points
- Baggage handling — 80, up 3 points
- Boarding experience — 79 up 1 point
- Call core satisfaction — 78, up 3 points
- Flight schedules — 77, up 2 points
- Loyalty program — 76 up 3 points
- Inflight providers — 74 up 3 points
- Seat relaxation — 71, up 4 points
The scores are based on customer opinions gleaned from 180,000 interviews. Hence that the sample and any reasonable standard of statistical importance should meet with. And information that is independent confirms that airlines have made improvements in such places as baggage handling and arrivals.
But there are other factors where the increase in customer satisfaction seems perplexing. Website satisfaction? I’m unaware of any improvements in the airlines’ sites that would account for a much better client experience. And in the areas of loyalty programs and seat comfort, the gratification increases seem at odds with the truth. Programs have been significantly devalued during the past years. And “crusher chairs” and shrinking legroom have made seating, at least coach, in which the great majority of travelers sit an ever-more painful experience.
Such disconnects might point to a larger truth about satisfaction scores and tendencies: As solutions deteriorate, customers lower their expectations, and satisfaction scores grow.
In is not as an advancement on the part of the airlines compared to a lessening of consumers’ expectations, as they become acclimated to shoddier and shoddier service.
Reader Reality Check
How happy are you with the airlines?