Survey: Airlines satisfy fliers

Customers are more satisfied with airlines than they’ve been in 20 years, according to a well-known customer-satisfaction survey that seems to buck other assessments of the industry.

Airline passenger satisfaction rose 2.9 percent over last year to the highest level since 1994, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, a University of Michigan study of 70,000 consumers’ expectations and preferences. The industry scored 71 out of 100, nearing the record high of 72, measured the first year the index began.

Airlines are historically one of the lowest-scoring industries tracked by the index. Only Internet service providers, subscription television and health insurance rated worse.

Chicago-based United Airlines ‘ customer satisfaction rating remained flat, scoring a below-average 60. It beat only deep-discount and fee-heavy airlines Spirit and Frontier, which were worst rated among nine airlines.

American Airlines, the second-largest airline at O’Hare International Airport next to United, avoided a negative impact on satisfaction despite its late-2013 merger with US Airways, rating a 66, the same as last year. Mergers often lead to lower customer satisfaction.

“This may reflect the airline’s slower approach to combining operations, with integration of loyalty programs and reservation systems happening well into 2015,” according to the index.

As with most surveys, Delta Air Lines ranked best among large carriers, scoring 71.

While airfares haven’t yet fallen to reflect lower oil prices, travelers gave the airline industry higher marks than a year ago across key aspects of the booking and flight experience, the survey found.

“Airlines are doing a better job of getting travelers to their destinations on time, with less frustration over baggage,” said ACSI Director David VanAmburg. Baggage handling and on-time performance improved, the survey found.

The findings seem to conflict with a report last week which found airlines in the U.S. did a poorer job in 2014 of serving travelers, with more late flights, more lost bags and more customer complaints, according to the Airline Quality Ratings report. The report, based on publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Transportation, is a joint project of researchers at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Wichita State University. Overall, it found the industry performed the worst since 2009.

The two measures of consumer sentiment are different, said ACSI Director of Research Forrest Morgeson.

“These are very different kinds of studies measuring different types of consumer experiences with the airline industry and not necessarily contradictory,” he said. “The ACSI report is a measure of the cumulative customer satisfaction experience.”

Still, the survey released Monday wasn’t all rosy. It found the onboard experience lags, with seat comfort remaining the worst part of flying. And customers aren’t thrilled with airline call centers and frequent-flier programs, with airlines “making it more difficult for customers to accrue and cash in on their mileage points,” the report says. However, passengers are happier with in-flight services such as entertainment options, up 7 percent to a rating of 72.

Among other airlines, customer satisfaction for JetBlue Airways rose 3 percent to top the field, followed by Southwest Airlines, the largest carrier at Midway International Airport.

Spirit often brings up the rear in such surveys, and did in this one. “Spirit may offer low fares, but its score reflects its minimalist approach to customer service,” said Claes Fornell, ACSI chairman and founder.

The survey released Monday also rated hotel chains.

Guest satisfaction with hotels was steady, scoring a 75, with three hotel brands tying for first, Chicago-based Hyatt, Hilton and Marriott. Worst were Motel 6, Wyndham and Choice.

Among online travel agencies, Chicago-based Orbitz Worldwide dropped a couple of points on the index, tying with Priceline and Travelocity. Ranking slightly better was Expedia, which recently bought Travelocity and announced plans to buy Orbitz. However, ranking first was the “all others” category, representing direct bookings at airline and hotel companies’ own sites as well as smaller online booking sites.