Call it the plane truth: The results of our latest Airline
Survey are in, painting a vivid portrait of passenger
discontent in the skies.
While a few carriers stood out as doing a commendable job
despite the turbulence buffeting the industry – Midwest Airlines,
JetBlue and Song (which is being discontinued next year)
domestically and Singapore, Emirates and Cathay Pacific
internationally – ratings were generally down across the
board. Overall, surveyors reported that flying has reached "new
lows" as financially ailing airlines resort to "nickel and
diming" passengers to make ends meet.
Within the U.S. domestic ranks, the biggest declines were
posted by the biggest names: American, Delta, United and
US Airways all saw their overall ratings drop by about five
to six points on the Zagat 30-point scale from the ratings
they received in our last survey four years ago. Even top-rated
Midwest experienced a dip.
And though performance on international flights generally
outscored domestic travel – logically enough, given that
longer trips typically call for bigger, more comfortable
aircraft and at least some semblance of meals and service – even
here most carriers saw substantial ratings dips.
Not surprisingly, food was the category in which airlines
earned their lowest ratings, domestically averaging a score
of 9.
Embarrassingly, airlines generally scored better for their
Web sites than for any aspect of their performance in the
air. As one surveyor put it, it's "too bad you can't fly
the Web site." Fifty-five percent of surveyors typically
book flights via airline Web sites, and another 14 percent
book through Expedia, Travelocity, etc.
Other Survey findings:
- Among the "Big Six" U.S. carriers – American, Continental,
Delta, Northwest, United, US Airways – Continental ranked
first overall for domestic as well as international flights.
- The principal irritants for surveyors are delays, cancellations
and waiting (cited by 42% of respondents), followed by
cramped seating and crowding (21%) and poor service (13%).
Ironically, food was criticized by only 2% of surveyors,
perhaps signaling that passengers largely agree with the
surveyor who declared "airline food is an oxymoron."
- New York City's JFK airport scored a dubious
double whammy – it was voted the worst domestic airport (followed
by Chicago's O'Hare) as well as the worst international airport
(with London's Heathrow as No. 2).
For full survey results – including top lists plus ratings
and reviews for the 77 airlines covered in the Survey – see
our U.S. Airlines and International Airlines reports (Adobe® Reader® is required to view the files; if you don't have it, click here to download for free).
Meanwhile, read on for a sampling of choice comments – including
many that our lawyers wouldn't let us include in our reviews – that
reflect the current state of frustration in the air.
"The uncomfortable served the inedible by the indifferent."
"If they could sell space in the overheads, travelers would
be stacked up like cold cuts."
"Need air marshals to protect passengers from crew."
"Cabin staff treats you like a stranger crashing a dinner
party – only they don't serve food."
"Only an hour behind schedule and didn't crash – lived up
to my expectations."
"If you're a transplanted NYer nostalgic for abuse, this
is your airline."
"'I'm sorry, sir, but we've discontinued legroom.'"
"Once stuck I was, back of the plane
No pleasure I could at all feign
The tiny cramped seat, delays, mystery meat
And no upgrade made experience a pain."
"Best of the big full-service carriers, or in other words,
the cream of the cr*p."
"Now I know what the cows felt like on the Chisholm Trail."
"Like Con Air – they'd even handcuff you if they
could."
"Seats like bad lawn chairs."
"'Shut up, we get you there' could be their slogan."
"Seats should recline only so much – could have performed
dental work on the person in front of me."
"Fares set by someone with a dartboard."
"Economy class is like the Bataan Death March with carry-on
luggage."
"Like being shipped via UPS to your destination."
"Take it out back and shoot it."
"I'll start with the good: Web site easy to navigate. That's
the end of the good."
"What's next, no seats? – wait, better not give them any
ideas!"
"Nothing left to vote on – no food, no snacks, no pillows,
no movies, no audio, no nothing."
"Gives whole new meaning to the word 'Airbus.'"
"What next, $3 to use the air vents?"
"Don't go unless you have a chiropractor and psychotherapist
traveling with you."
"Challenging log-in, difficult ticketing, rude gate agents,
wretched food and contortionist seating – what's not to like?"
"Feels like an airline going under – oh wait, they are."
"Next step is passengers dressing as flight attendants and
serving drinks to save yet more money."
"Ground service and ticket agents explain what happened
to the KGB staff when the Soviet Union collapsed."
"They treat lab rats better than they do passengers on this
airline."
"Would rather take a donkey."
"Lost my luggage so often I keep a standard complaint letter
on my PC."
"This is why the pope kisses the ground every time he deplanes."
"'Brown or gray?' could be the choice for dinner."
"Customer care rivals Sweeney Todd's."
"Could use economy as torture to get prisoners to talk."
"Only things older than the planes are the flight attendants – and
the meals."
"'Good service' translates to 'we won't bother you if you
don't bother us.'"
"Coach class is like the 7 th circle of hell."
"If you like bad food flung by crones, fly this airline."
"Charging money for booze on international flights – give
me a paper cut and rub lemon in it, whydoncha?"