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Airline ratings not flying so high

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Also by Julia Bair:

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Election sparks new debate over justice selection (April 3, 2008)
Doyle pushing for renewable energy (April 1, 2008)
Eau Claire joining smoking ban list (March 27, 2008)
Legislator: Alter justice selection process (March 25, 2008)

by Julia Bair

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Airline ratings hit the ground hard in 2007, according to a report released Monday by the University of Nebraska and Wichita State University.

The Airline Quality Ratings report shows the domestic airline industry’s ratings have plummeted to the lowest levels on the books in the 18-year study.

“Flying has become more of a hassle, more complicated and with more rules,” said Brent Bowen, distinguished professor of aviation at the University of Nebraska. “We as a nation are being more accepting of this, but we should expect a higher level of service.”

Twelve of 16 airlines rated declined in performance over the year, with U.S. Airways showing the biggest dive in ratings. Meanwhile, AirTran, Jet Blue and Southwest Airlines received the highest rankings.

Bowen stressed the challenges young travelers face in contrast to corporate travelers and first-class ticket holders.

“The airlines treat different classes of people differently based on ticket price, frequent flyer status and other factors,” Bowen said. “Young people will not be treated with the same privileges as a business traveler.”

According to Bowen, these privileges are getting harder and harder to earn. With rising fuel prices and Homeland Security restrictions, airlines are also raising the number of air miles frequent flyers need to receive free tickets.

Northwest and Continental were the highest-ranking airlines serving Madison’s Dane County Regional Airport, while United, American and Delta ranked significantly lower.

According to Headley, this is in keeping with the trend for consumers to prefer lower-fare carriers to legacy-carriers.

This year’s low ratings are rivaled only by ratings in 2000, when the United States experienced similar economic conditions.

Bowen said airlines have still not fully recovered from reduced travel after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and international travel continues to provide better service than domestic airlines.

According to the study, both 2000 and 2007 marked the beginning of a nationwide recession. In both years, demand for air travel was strong, and airlines were making money after an unprofitable period.

“Getting better in the airline quality scores probably won’t happen for the next year or two, or foreseeable future,” Wichita State professor of aviation and marketing Dean Headley said in a statement. “There’s no incentive. The airlines are losing money. Fuel prices are high. They’re cutting back on services.”

However, Bowen was confident that with enough feedback from different subgroups, airlines would improve their performance.

Bowen and Headley created the study in 1991 as a way for consumers to give feedback to airlines based on mishandled baggage, on-time boardings, denied boardings and customer complaints.

Bowen encouraged UW students to add their feedback by taking the consumer survey online at aqr.aero. He added airlines have improved their performance in response to airline quality ratings in the past.

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