For most travelers, flying ranks right up there with going to the dentist and paying taxes – and a new report finds the experience is getting worse.
For two-thirds of airlines, the overall performance declined in 2014 compared to 2013, and the industry in general declined in measures of on-time performance, mishandled baggage, customer complaints and more, according to the annual Airline Quality Ranking from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Wichita State University.
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The weak showing reflects changes resulting from recent rounds of mergers, the study’s authors said. “Bigger isn’t always better, and the downturn in performance suggests that customer perceptions of poor outcomes are warranted,” Wichita State professor Dean Headley said in a statement.
Among the 12 largest U.S. airlines, Virgin America ranked best for the third year in a row, while Envoy/American Eagle ranked worst.
Hawaiian Airlines had the best on-time performance (91.9 percent) in 2014, while Envoy/American Eagle had the worst (68.8 percent). The industry average was 76.2 percent, compared to 78.4 percent in 2013.
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Virgin American ranked the best in what’s known as involuntarily denied boarding, meaning just 0.09 percent of 10,000 passengers were denied the ability to board. At the other end of the spectrum, ExpressJet and SkyWest had the worst record, with both denying boarding to 2.71 percent of 10,000 passengers.
The flying experience may get even worse as consolidation leads to smaller planes and fewer seats for passengers. The Wall Street Journal reported this week that downsizing planes mean fewer and more uncomfortable coach seats.
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