Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 25, 1995 TAG: 9504260057
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
American Airlines was the No. 1-ranked carrier in the Airline Quality Rating, an annual study by researchers at the University of Nebraska and the National Institute for Aviation Research at Wichita State University.
American displaced Southwest Airlines, which had earned the highest overall marks in 1993. Southwest was No. 2 in the latest survey.
The seven other major airlines were ranked in the following order: United, Delta, USAir, Northwest, America West, TWA and Continental. A major airline, as defined by the U.S. Department of Transportation, is one whose operating revenues reach at least $1 billion over 12 months.
The researchers used a variety of government data, including on-time performance, accidents, customer service, the age of each airline's fleet, lost baggage, overbookings and financial stability.
Overall, they found the quality of service diminished for the fourth year in a row.
``The traveling public demands more and airlines seemingly want to give us less,'' said Brent D. Bowen, director of the Aviation Institute at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
``The major airlines are becoming profitable once again,'' said Dean E. Headley, marketing professor at Wichita State and co-author of the report. ``Many consumers may perceive this to be at their expense, in terms of higher prices, schedule inconveniences and generally lower service levels.''
Bowen and Headley also singled out changes in most airlines' frequent flyer programs last year that made it more difficult and expensive to earn free tickets.
``They're messing with the consumer's loyalty,'' Headley said.
And, Bowen said, a number of airlines instituted ``an ill-conceived plan to take business away from travel agents.''
Last year was also a particularly deadly one for the major U.S. airlines. They had 20 accidents in which a total of 239 people died. In 1993, they experienced 22 accidents in which one person died.
``The good news is that when [people] are flying, they're probably in the safest mode of transportation you can get,'' Headley said.
Among the researchers' other findings:
Continental and USAir lost bags the most often.
Southwest, American and America West lost them the least frequently.
The worst on-time performers were Continental, at 78 percent, and USAir, at 79 percent.
The best on-time performers: Southwest, 87 percent, and Northwest, 86 percent.
Airlines most likely to bump travelers were Southwest, America West and Continental.
Airlines least likely to bump a passenger: American and United.
by CNB