You don’t need me to tell you how bad the airlines are doing when it comes to customer service. You don’t need another survey to tell you that either. But it helps.
Here’s the latest: Market Metrix just released a survey that finds customer satisfaction with airlines for 2007 fell to its lowest recorded level in six years.
“As airlines continue to struggle with flight delays, labor contracts and higher fuel prices,” the survey concludes, “consumers feel they are getting less for their money.”
The airline industry received an average grade of 76 for the year. But it’s a problematic number.
Market Metrix failed to put the data into any meaningful context by not releasing the 2001 average, historical numbers on the industry, or breakout numbers for the airlines except for one carrier, Sun Country.
I believe the Market Metrix numbers are true. But the company could make them more credible by naming names and helping customers understand not only how bad airline customer service is today, but which airlines are the worst offenders.
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In skiers’ eyes, I’ll bet United is going to slip another notch. They have just announced a $25 charge per second checked bag, except for bedry frequent flyers — fortunately starting after the ski season is over. Current airline policies count one ski/snowboard bag and one boot bag as one piece of luggage. If United continues this policy into the 2008-09 ski season and charges $25 for each actual piece, that would add $50 each way, per person, to the cost of a ski trip. Or maybe even more, because they are slapping a $100 surcharge onto additional bags after two.
Claire@ http://travel-babel.blogspot.com