Delta Air Lines came in second place in its category in a closely-watched J.D. Power ranking of airlines.
Atlanta-based Delta improved its performance in all categories including cost and fees, in-flight services, boarding/deplaning/baggage, flight crew, aircraft, check-in and reservation, scoring 725 on a 1,000 point scale.
Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi
Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi
Across the airline industry, lower fares are improving customer satisfaction, but passengers are also “more tolerant” of fees, such as fees for checked baggage or extra legroom, according to J.D. Power.
Alaska Airlines, in first place among traditional carriers for nine years in a row, got a score of 751.
But in the low-cost carrier category, JetBlue and Southwest Airlines both scored higher than Alaska and Delta.
Dallas-based Southwest, the second largest carrier in Atlanta, scored a 789 in the J.D. Power 2016 North American Airline Satisfaction Study.
JetBlue, the highest-scoring of all of the carriers ranked in J.D. Power’s study with a 790, does not fly to Atlanta.
Ultra low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines ranked lowest in the study with a score 662.
Delta has for years made it one of its company goals to win first place in its category in the J.D. Power ranking.
Overall, airlines have improved their customer service, according to J.D. Power
“While the perception of the airline experience still has a lot of room for improvement, there is notable progress in terms of satisfaction among the highest-ranked airlines in the study due to their keen focus on meeting or exceeding the needs of their passengers,” said J.D. Power global travel and hospitality practice lead Rick Garlick in a written statement.
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