Continental tops annual survey of customer satisfaction

May 9, 2000
Web posted at: 11:44 a.m. EDT (1544 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In a year when airline passengers complained of jammed airports, crowded skies and scores of flight delays, three airlines -- Continental, TWA and Southwest -- flew against the prevailing winds and earned high marks for customer satisfaction.

All three airlines ranked high in the survey that measured frequent fliers' attitudes about on-time performance, seating comfort, flight attendant courtesy and other factors. The annual survey was conducted by J.D. Power and Associates and "Frequent Flyer" magazine.

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Continental Airlines achieved the highest ranking in both long-haul flights (more than 500 miles or 805 kilometers) and short-haul flights. Last year, Continental was top-ranked in long-haul flights and third in the short-haul category.

TWA ranked a close second in both categories and Southwest ranked third.

"The industry-leading performances of Continental and TWA can be attributed to their efforts to encourage employees to listen and respond to the needs of their passengers," Mike Taylor, director of travel services at J.D. Powers and Associates, said in a written statement.

Five airlines finished below the industry average in both long-haul and short-haul flights: America West, American, Delta, Northwest and US Airways. The most commonly reported problems were related to on-time performance, followed by seating issues and carry-on luggage space.

The survey measured satisfaction during a period of rapid growth for the industry. U.S. airlines had a record 576 million flights in 1999, its sixth straight year of growth, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

But the expansion of aviation, and the desire to squeeze profits by filling up planes, has resulted in increasing complaints from airline passengers.

Short-haul flights, long-term displeasure

Dissatisfaction was most evident in short-haul flights, according to the J.D. Power survey. Three airlines were at or above the industry average in the survey released Tuesday, compared with six in last year's survey.

The biggest factor in determining satisfaction -- an airline's on-time performance -- was put to the test last summer when the number of flight delays increased precipitously. The FAA blamed the problem on a series of bad storms, which disrupted air traffic. The airlines blamed the FAA, saying it used outdated systems to handle air traffic.

Earlier this year, the FAA and airlines initiated a new system of communication in an effort to increase on-time performance.

In April, an airline quality survey by two universities named Southwest, Continental and Delta as the top three airlines. That survey was based on information the airlines provide to the FAA. The university-funded survey ranked TWA and United at the bottom.

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