US airlines quality ratings improved in 2008

www.southwest.com

In 2008, airlines flew fewer passengers, but were rated as having done a better job by those passengers who did fly.

The number of customer complaints, late arrivals, lost bags and passengers bumped from overbooked flights all declined last year, according to information provided by private researchers in an annual review of airline quality that was based on US government statistics.

Although the US airline industry rated at its best level in four years, the picture was not completely unblemished.

The combination of high fuel costs and the economic downturn saw numerous airlines cutting capacity, raising airfares, doing away with “frills” and adding fees for many services previously offered to passengers at no charge – including pillows and blankets.

Customer complaints about the 17 US airlines in the study dropped 1.42 per 100,000 passengers in 2007 to 1.15 last year. The best rate was achieved by Southwest Airlines, receiving only 0.25 complaints per 100,000 passengers, while the worst was achieved by US Airways, at 2.25.

Half of all passenger complaints involved either baggage or flight-related issues such as cancellations, delays or other flight disruptions.

Average on-time performance improved in 2008 by three points over the previous year, although approximately 25 percent of all flights were late. Only three carriers reported an on-time rate of better than 80 percent: Hawaiian Airlines reported a rate of 90 percent, Southwest, of 80.5 percent and US Airways reported an 80.1 percent rate.

www.southwest.com