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As airlines tack on fees and cut frills, some carriers stand out

July 17, 2011|Consumer Reports

Comfort issues and excessive fees are sore points for air travelers, and are among the major reasons many are traveling less, according to Consumer Reports’ recent survey of almost 15,000 passengers.

Eight of the 10 major airlines that Consumer Reports readers rated received low scores for seat comfort. Several carriers also got low marks for other quality-of-flight measures including cabin-crew service, cleanliness, and in-flight entertainment.

Consumer Reports’ airline ratings were based on responses from nearly 15,000 readers who told the Consumer Reports National Research Center about their experiences on nearly 30,000 domestic round-trip flights from January 2010 to January 2011. Airlines were scored based on passengers’ responses to questions regarding overall satisfaction, check-in ease, cabin-crew service, cabin cleanliness, baggage handling, seating comfort, and in-flight entertainment. Consumer Reports also asked questions about charging additional fees.

Some carriers did rise above the rest. Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways topped the list with relatively high scores for overall satisfaction. Southwest was the only airline to receive top marks for check-in ease and cabin-crew service. Passengers also gave Southwest high grades for cabin cleanliness and baggage handling. However, the airline got middling scores for seat comfort.

JetBlue scored above average for seating comfort because it gives passengers more room than they’re accustomed to in this era of tightly packed planes. JetBlue was also the lone carrier in the ratings to earn top scores for in-flight entertainment. Its seatback TV screens offer passengers 36 channels.

At the other end of the list, the bottom-ranked US Airways occupies the same unenviable spot as it did in 2007, when Consumer Reports last assessed airlines. In addition to its low overall score, survey respondents gave it the worst marks of any airline for cabin crew service.

The proliferation of added fees at or after check-in by many carriers further contributes to passengers’ low opinion of today’s flying experience - and even to their decision of whether to fly at all. Forty percent of survey respondents who said they’re flying less these days gave increased fees as the major reason - far more than those who blamed flight delays, poor service, or other annoyances.