AirTran top performer in improving industry, report says

Published 5:00 am Tuesday, April 3, 2012

WASHINGTON — Airlines, led by low-cost carrier AirTran Airways, are doing a better job of getting passengers to their destinations on time, with their bags, and with fewer complaints, private researchers who have analyzed federal data on airline performance said Monday.

It was the second consecutive year that AirTran topped the rankings of the nation’s 15 largest airlines included in the annual report. Hawaiian Airlines and JetBlue Airways also repeated their performance from the previous year, ranking second and third, respectively.

The rankings are based on data airlines supply the Department of Transportation regarding lost bags, delayed flights, and bumpings from full planes, and consumer complaints made to the department.

Overall, the report shows flying is getting better even through passengers grappling with fare increases, canceled routes and a seemingly endless parade of new fees may not feel that way, said Dean Headley, a business professor at Wichita State University who has co-written the annual report for 22 years.

Airlines are slowly, steadily recovering from their meltdown five years ago, when, under the strain of near-record consumer travel demand, their performance tanked, he said. Industry performance for all four measurements was slightly better in 2011 compared with 2010.

“Airlines are finally catching up with what their promise is, which is getting you there on time 80 percent of the time with your bags,” Headley said.

“They realize that people are paying a lot more money, and the system is more complex than it was, and they have to do a better job,” he said. “To their credit, I think they are doing a better job.”

With higher fuel costs, airfares are trending up, although increases vary significantly depending on whether the passenger is flying between major airports, or is heading to or from a small or medium-sized airport, Headley said. As airlines cut back service to smaller airports, the cost of air travel in small and medium cities is increasing, he said.

“It really depends on the market you are in,” Headley said, noting that in 2010 he paid $275 to fly round-trip from Wichita, Kan., to Washington, where he released that year’s report. This year, the same trip cost him $360.

In judging quality of performance, low-cost carriers that mainly fly between large hubs tend to fare the best, Headley said. The large airlines that have been around since before airline deregulation in the early 1980s tend to fall in the middle. Regional airlines, which often fly smaller planes and are more susceptible to weather delays, generally pull up the rear.

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