Airlines barely make the grade
Travelers are giving the airlines barely passing grades, reports PhoCusWright.
“Flyers are essentially giving airlines a grade of C+, which is barely above satisfactory,” said Carroll Rheem, director of research for PhoCusWright. “But even more concerning for airlines is that their most valuable customers — business travelers and those with higher annual household incomes — are even less happy than the average.”
The US Consumer Perspective in Air Travel found that less than half of US air travelers feel positives about their airline experiences, the study found.
Both business and affluent travelers (with incomes of at least US$100,000) are more likely to have negative sentiments than average travelers, the study found.
“Consumer attitudes towards their air travel experiences have soured over the same period that airlines have added baggage fees and other new charges,” the study found.
Thirty-eight percent of leisure-only US travelers feel slightly or substantially worse about their airline experiences compared to a few years ago, while just 13 percent feel slightly or substantially better.
Four in 10 business travelers feel their experiences have gotten worse.
In addition to checked baggage fees, airlines are aiming to increase sales of optional services like preferred seating and priority boarding.
“These new products and packages represent a tremendous opportunity for airlines. However, the decline in traveler satisfaction could limit their ability to fully realize that opportunity,” concluded PhoCusWright.
By David Wilkening
David
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