Tough Economic Conditions Lead to Decline in Satisfaction, Although Airline Timeliness Improves

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Airlines ranks highest in customer satisfaction among traditional network carriers, while JetBlue Airways ranks highest among low-cost carriers, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 North America Airline Satisfaction Study(SM) released today.

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The study measures overall customer satisfaction based on performance in seven measures (in order of importance): cost and fees; flight crew; in-flight services; aircraft; boarding/deplaning/baggage; check-in; and reservation. Carriers are ranked in two segments: traditional network and low-cost. Traditional network carriers are defined as airlines that operate multicabin aircraft and use multiple airport hubs, while low-cost carriers are defined as airlines that operate single-cabin aircraft with typically lower fares.

Traditional Network Carrier Rankings

Alaska Airlines ranks highest in the traditional network carrier segment for a second consecutive year, and performs particularly well in five of seven measures: flight crew; aircraft; boarding/deplaning/baggage; check-in; and reservation. Continental Airlines and Delta Airlines, respectively, follow Alaska Airlines in the rankings. Continental Airlines performs particularly well in the in-flight services and cost and fees measures.

'Alaska Airlines has made notable improvements in the courtesy and knowledge of its check-in staff from 2008,' said Dale Haines, senior director of the travel practice at J.D. Power and Associates.

Low-Cost Carrier Rankings

For a fourth consecutive year, JetBlue Airways ranks highest in the low-cost carrier segment. JetBlue Airways performs particularly well in two of seven measures: aircraft and in-flight services.

Following JetBlue in the segment rankings are Southwest Airlines and WestJet, in a tie. Southwest Airlines performs particularly well in the cost and fees and reservation measures. In addition, Southwest Airlines is the only airline in the 2009 study to demonstrate overall improvement from 2008, with the most notable increases occurring in the reservations, check-in and boarding/deplaning/baggage measures.

WestJet, included in the study for the first time in 2009, performs well in the boarding/deplaning/baggage; check-in; and flight crew measures.