Business travellers are biggest airline complainers
US business travellers are nearly twice as likely to file a complaint for poor airline service than leisure passengers, according to a report by the American Customer Satisfaction Index.
The ACSI report says 20% of business fliers had made a complaint in 2015 compared to just 11% of those travelling on leisure.
"Business fliers fly more, they pay more and they have higher expectations of how they’re going to be treated. They tend therefore to complain more," said David VanAmburg, ACSI managing director.
The report indicates that airlines are ‘going where the money is’ and better focusing on resolving high spending corporate travellers’ grievances.
Asked how well the most recent complaint was dealt with, business travellers rated airlines 59 out of 100 on the ACSI index.
In comparison, leisure travellers’ satisfaction was just 51 out of 100 points.
"I think the airlines probably have it about right in that they know who they should be focusing on, and with apologies to leisure travellers, it’s not them," VanAmburg said.
"You’re going to go with where the money is, and that’s what airlines are doing. They are finding small ways to provide a little better service to those from whom they make the most money."
He adds that business travellers are always more likely to experience a hitch due to the frequency of travel.
"Every time you fly, you’re rolling the dice. You fly once a month, those chances just mount that the bag might get lost, or the plane is delayed because of a storm, or there’s an unpleasant customer next to you that might make you unhappier with the experience."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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