Alaska Airlines ranks highest in the traditional network carrier segment for a fourth consecutive year, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 North America Airline Satisfaction Study. Alaska Airlines scores 680 on a 1,000-point scale; the industry average is 651.
Alaska Airlines Flight Crew Impresses
Alaska Airlines performs particularly well in the areas of flight crew; boarding/deplaning/baggage; check-in; and reservation. Air Canada improves significantly from 2010 to rank second in the segment with a score of 678, while Continental Airlines ranks third with a score of 661. Air Canada performs particularly well in the aircraft, in-flight services and cost and fees measures.
The study measures overall customer satisfaction based on performance in seven measures (in order of importance): cost and fees; in-flight services; flight crew; aircraft; boarding/deplaning/baggage; check-in; and reservation. Carriers are ranked in two segments: traditional network and low-cost. Traditional network carriers are generally defined as airlines that operate multicabin aircraft and use multiple airport hubs, while low-cost carriers are airlines that operate single-cabin aircraft with typically lower fares.
JetBlue Rises to Top of Low-Cost Carriers
For a sixth consecutive year, JetBlue Airways ranks highest in the low-cost carrier segment, with a score of 773 on a 1,000-point scale. JetBlue Airways performs particularly well in two of the seven measures: aircraft and in-flight services. Southwest Airlines improves considerably from 2010 to rank second in the segment with a score of 769. Southwest performs well in satisfaction with the reservation, check-in, boarding/deplaning/baggage and cost and fees measures. The industry average score is 751.
Satisfaction with Pricing Mostly Declines
For both segments, satisfaction has improved from 2010 in nearly all areas of the customer experience, with the exception of cost and fees. Compared with 2010, satisfaction with base fares has declined across every airline.
However, satisfaction with costs and fees has improved among low-cost carriers, as a whole, to 725 in 2011 from 723 in 2010. J.D. Power analysis indicayes this improvement is driven by increased satisfaction in aspects of the cost and fees measure not related to base fares, particularly among carriers that do not charge for baggage fees for the first checked bag.
Traditional network carriers have not fared as well, declining from 582 in 2010 to a new low of 555 in 2011. Only Air Canada and Southwest Airlines have improved in the cost and fees factor from 2010.
Check-in, Reservation Satisfaction Climbs
In 2011, passengers of both low-cost and traditional network carriers express the highest levels of satisfaction with the check-in and reservation processes since 2006.
Amex: Q4 Biz Class Spending Up Significantly
Overall spending on business class airline tickets increased by 32% in Q4 2010, compared to a 1% decrease in first class tickets and a very slight 1% increase for economy ticket, according to data from American Express Business Insights. Spending on business class also increased by 21% in spend per flight and 2% in flights per traveler.
The number of total travelers buying business class tickets increased 8%, while the number of travelers spending on first class and economy tickets decreased by 12% and 10%, respectively.
About the Data: The 2011 North America Airline Satisfaction Study measures customer satisfaction among both business and leisure passengers of major North America carriers. The study is based on responses from more than 13,500 passengers who flew on a major North America airline between July 2010 and April 2011. The study, published by J.D. Power and Associates, was fielded between August 2010 and April 2011 and is the source of the enclosed charts.