Bad Air
We seem to be closing in on a perfect storm of air travel dissatisfaction in this country: Complaints soar at U.S. airlines
Late flights and lost bags, to say nothing of higher fares, are making air travelers grumpy, an annual survey of airline quality says.
The industry posted declines last year in every area of the Airline Quality Rating, amid rising fuel prices, safety problems and bankruptcy filings that shut down three carriers last week alone.
The biggest change was in the rate of consumer complaints, up 60 percent overall. The rate more than doubled at US Airways and Comair, and rose for 15 of the 16 airlines included in the study. The exception was Mesa Airlines.
On-time arrivals dropped for the fifth straight year, with more than one-quarter of all flights late, according to the survey. The rates of passengers bumped from overbooked flights and bags lost, stolen or damaged also jumped in 2007.
"The trend is bad, and it doesn't look like it gets any better," said Dean Headley, an associate professor at Wichita State University and co-author of the study.
The survey results mesh with the spate of problems that have beset U.S. carriers, starting with surging fuel costs, Headley said.
ATA Airlines, Aloha Airlines and Skybus stopped flying just last week because of financial pressures. Major airlines have slashed jobs and passenger amenities while adding fees for second bags, traveling with pets and booking tickets by phone.
It is not surprising that people responded to higher prices and more frequent delays by complaining more, Headley said.
Well, I don't know about anyone else but my last four or five times flying were such lousy experiences I've been avoiding air travel when at all possible. As a result I've put a lot more miles on the old auto, but the lack of pointless aggravation is worth the back pain of a ten hour road trip…more than worth it really.
When you factor in the degree to which the airlines seem to be trying to make their flights unpleasant it is a wonder so many American are still flying at all. I've taken the hint and did something I've never done before: I've just booked a trip to Washington D.C. from the Twin Cities on Amtrak. Yes, it is slower and more expensive. No, it wouldn't be an option for most people travelling on business. Yes, I know the trains in this day and age can often be delayed. But, actually, I couldn't care less. The prospect of taking a trip while NOT being treated like a herd animal is positively intoxicating. Lord knows the actual trip will not live up to the romance I have in my head concerning rail travel (a heady mix of the Orient Express and a little Some Like It Hot), but the sad fact is it doesn't have to be much to outclass the average American airline by a country mile.
I'm pretty sure this makes me an airline customer lost. The question now is if Amtrak can make me a return customer.





