Hawaiian No. 1 for passenger service
Hawaiian Airlines emerged as the best airline for passenger service, according to an annual study rating the US’s 18 busiest carriers.
AirTran was second.
At the bottom were three regional carriers: American Eagle, Atlantic Southeast and Comair.
“Hawaiian has been number one for three out of the last four years in the ratings, which are compiled by private researchers based on a combination of airlines’ records in four categories: on-time performance, mishandled baggage, denied boardings due mostly to overbookings, and consumer complaints to the US Department of Transportation,” said the AP, which added:
“Overall, fewer passengers boarded planes last year, but those who did were generally treated better than in the past. Planes were more likely to land on time and bags were less likely to get lost.”
Passengers reported fewer complaints even while cash-strapped airlines reduced flight schedules and charged for everything from bags and pillows to prime spots in boarding lines.
"We kind of turned a little bit of a corner in ’08 and we’re glad to say they’re continuing that generally positive (trend) for the consumer," said Dean Headley, a Wichita State University professor and co-author of an annual analysis of airline quality.
The improved service "does not mean we have fixed the system," cautioned the report’s other co-author, Purdue University professor Brent Bowen.
Hawaiian — which flies to ten U.S. mainland cities along with the Hawaiian Islands and to the Philippines,Australia, Samoa and Tahiti — has some advantages over other airlines. Many of its flights are short hops between islands in a climate generally favorable for flying, Headley noted.
Fewer than one in every 100,000 passengers filed complaints with the Department of Transportation, down slightly from the previous year.
By David Wilkening
David
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