Airline passengers’ biggest complaint: fees
Here’s the answer to what is airline passengers biggest complaint: not flight delays or overbooking, as you might imagine, but having to pay for baggage, and dealing with rude employees.
Consumer Reports asked 2,000 Americans to rank their complaints about airlines, hotels and rental car companies. At the top of the list: airline luggage fees.
The survey also found that airline ticket fees and rude behavior by staff were not far behind.
"Two themes emerged. One of them was added fees. That really irritated people regardless of the industry," said Mark Kotkin, of Consumer Reports. "For airlines, in particular, it was the new luggage charges."
The other main irritant, across all three industries, was rude or unhelpful staff.
Kotkin suspects passengers find charges for luggage so irritating because they are new and they are expensive.
"It just hit a sensitive spot with travelers," he added in an interview. "Clearly, I think, the message is there — if you want to annoy people charge for luggage."
Surprisingly consumers questioned in the poll said lack of information about airline delays was more aggravating than the delays themselves. Passengers were also annoyed by fellow airline passengers who hog seats and carry-on space.
By David Wilkening
David
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