5 curious airlines that you probably didn't know existed 0:58
(CNN) -
Airports are crowded, flights are packed and air travel in the United States is back and in full swing.
But the return to the skies after the pandemic hasn't been easy: passengers seem to be behaving worse than ever, flight cancellations are becoming more common, and airlines are raising fares as fuel prices soar.
It's perhaps no surprise that American airline passenger satisfaction is declining across the board, at least according to consumer research company JD Power's 2022 North American Airline Satisfaction Study.
The JD Power report suggests that customers are frustrated by the cost of the ticket, the performance of the flight crew and even the plane they're flying in, and that's true whether they choose to travel economy, premium economy or business.
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The study reveals that the overall satisfaction of US airline passengers stands at 798 out of 1,000, more than 20 points below last year's report.
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Still, certain airlines come out on top in the report.
Economy passengers rated Southwest Airlines the highest with 849 points, while JetBlue won in premium economy (851 points) and first/business (878 points).
Michael Taylor, head of travel intelligence at JD Power, said the overall decline in US passenger satisfaction is not "bad news," and suggested airlines could learn from the results to improve their offerings.
"If airlines can find ways to manage this growing demand while making a few small adjustments to help passengers feel more valued, they should be able to manage this return to 'business as usual,'" Taylor said in a statement.
A new era to fly
JetBlue ranked first in First/Business Class and Premium Economy passenger satisfaction.
(J.Scott Applewhite/AP)
Results from last year's North American Airline Satisfaction Study indicated that US travelers were enjoying some of the unexpected benefits of pandemic-era flying: fewer passengers, emptier flights and ticket flexibility.
Taylor suggested that the comparison between those flights during the COVID-19 boom and today's travel was behind this year's drop in satisfaction.
“Fewer passengers meant more room on planes, fewer queues and more attention from flight attendants.
But that business model just wasn't sustainable,” he said.
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Similarly, the report suggests there are some pandemic leftover flights that passengers would rather see the reverse of.
JD Power draws a link between a decline in satisfaction with food and beverages in economy and premium businesses and the fact that many airlines did not serve alcohol on board for much of last year.
In addition to food and beverage options, the North American Airline Satisfaction Study also examined how happy passengers were with the plane, baggage, boarding, check-in, costs and fees, crew flight, on-board services and reservations.
They surveyed some 7,004 US airline passengers from March 2021 to March 2022.
Top US airlines according to JD Power for economy passengers:
1. Southwest Airlines
2. JetBlue Airways
3. Delta Air Lines
4. Allegiant Air
5. Alaska Airlines
6. Air Canada
7. United Airlines
8. Spirit Airlines
9. American Airlines
10. Frontier Airlines
11. WestJet
Top U.S. Airlines According to JD Power for Premium Economy Passengers
1. JetBlue Airlines
2. Delta
Airlines 3. Alaska
Airlines 4. American Airlines
5. United Airlines
6. Air Canada
Top U.S. Airlines by JD Power for First/Business Class Passengers
1. JetBlue Airways
2. Alaska Airlines
3. Delta Air Lines
4. Air Canada
5. United Airlines
6. American Airlines
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