Ranked last among the 10 biggest airlines

[deltawatch]

FREE PREVIEW

A Report Card On the Nation's Airlines
By Scott McCartney

Last year was a tough, sloppy one for U.S. air travel. Despite improving financial performance, carriers and their customers suffered declines in the quality of service, plagued by everything from more misplaced baggage to more late departures.

While US Airways Group Inc. had robust earnings, it also had some sizable problems in customer service, ranking last among the 10 biggest airlines in the rate at which bags were lost and the frequency of consumer complaints. The same could be said for Continental Airlines Inc. -- strong financial performance with lots of growth, but a black eye from ending up in ...

THE FULL WSJ.com ARTICLE IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO SUBSCRIBERS.

 

[hula-flyguy]

FREE PREVIEW

A Report Card On the Nation's Airlines
By Scott McCartney

Last year was a tough, sloppy one for U.S. air travel. Despite improving financial performance, carriers and their customers suffered declines in the quality of service, plagued by everything from more misplaced baggage to more late departures.

While US Airways Group Inc. had robust earnings, it also had some sizable problems in customer service, ranking last among the 10 biggest airlines in the rate at which bags were lost and the frequency of consumer complaints. The same could be said for Continental Airlines Inc. -- strong financial performance with lots of growth, but a black eye from ending up in ...

THE FULL WSJ.com ARTICLE IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO SUBSCRIBERS.

did you miss this part?:

At the bottom were Delta Air Lines Inc., UAL Corp.'s United Airlines and US Airways based on combined standings for on-time, lost bags, bumped passengers, consumer complaints and canceled flights.
Delta wasn't the absolute worst in any DOT category, but it was next-to-last in baggage, bumped passengers and canceled flights. The airline, which like Northwest is trying to emerge from bankruptcy reorganization this year, has faced operational problems as it cut its schedule, shifted more to international flying and grappled with issues at Atlanta's airport.



or maybe even this part:
Delta wasn't the absolute worst in any DOT category, but it was next-to-last in baggage, bumped passengers and canceled flights. The airline, which like Northwest is trying to emerge from bankruptcy reorganization this year, has faced operational problems as it cut its schedule, shifted more to international flying and grappled with issues at Atlanta's airport.

 

[USCREW]

...

 

[deltawatch]

US airlines mishandled more than 4 mln bags in '06

WASHINGTON, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Passengers on U.S. airlines reported more than 4 million mishandled bags last year as overall consumer complaints were up even though the financial performance of major carriers improved.

Transportation Department figures released on Wednesday show domestic airlines flew more than 600 million passengers who checked luggage in 2006, and mishandled 4.08 million bags. This includes luggage that was lost, damaged or placed on the wrong aircraft.

The industry's mishandled bag rate was 6.73 per 1,000 passengers, up slightly from the previous year, when 440 million passengers checked luggage and 2.93 million bags were mishandled, government figures show.

Southwest Airlines (LUV.N: Quote, Profile , Research) flew more than 98 million passengers last year -- the most of any U.S. airline -- and mishandled more than 525,000 bags. US Airways (LCC.N: Quote, Profile , Research) flew about half as many passengers and mishandled more than 420,000 bags.

 

[insp89]

I don't think this management team cares too much about their "Ranking".

They are much more concerned on continuing to make big Profit$ off the backs of their employees.

 

[hula-flyguy]

US airlines mishandled more than 4 mln bags in '06

WASHINGTON, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Passengers on U.S. airlines reported more than 4 million mishandled bags last year as overall consumer complaints were up even though the financial performance of major carriers improved.

Transportation Department figures released on Wednesday show domestic airlines flew more than 600 million passengers who checked luggage in 2006, and mishandled 4.08 million bags. This includes luggage that was lost, damaged or placed on the wrong aircraft.

The industry's mishandled bag rate was 6.73 per 1,000 passengers, up slightly from the previous year, when 440 million passengers checked luggage and 2.93 million bags were mishandled, government figures show.

Southwest Airlines (LUV.N: Quote, Profile , Research) flew more than 98 million passengers last year -- the most of any U.S. airline -- and mishandled more than 525,000 bags. US Airways (LCC.N: Quote, Profile , Research) flew about half as many passengers and mishandled more than 420,000 bags.

DL mishandled bags 2206/2005
12 DELTA AIR LINES 456,200 6.88 573,419 7.09

 

[libertybell]

US airlines mishandled more than 4 mln bags in '06

WASHINGTON, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Passengers on U.S. airlines reported more than 4 million mishandled bags last year as overall consumer complaints were up even though the financial performance of major carriers improved.

Transportation Department figures released on Wednesday show domestic airlines flew more than 600 million passengers who checked luggage in 2006, and mishandled 4.08 million bags. This includes luggage that was lost, damaged or placed on the wrong aircraft.

The industry's mishandled bag rate was 6.73 per 1,000 passengers, up slightly from the previous year, when 440 million passengers checked luggage and 2.93 million bags were mishandled, government figures show.

Southwest Airlines (LUV.N: Quote, Profile , Research) flew more than 98 million passengers last year -- the most of any U.S. airline -- and mishandled more than 525,000 bags. US Airways (LCC.N: Quote, Profile , Research) flew about half as many passengers and mishandled more than 420,000 bags.

Hmmm how does SW do it? Well I spoke to a SW worker today and was told for Valentines day each worker will get an extra $150.00 bucks just as a Thanks from management!

Thats taking care of there workers and in response the workers take care of SW!

Now if US would ever figure that out perhaps our bottom of the barrel would climb back up!

 

[hula-flyguy]

WASHINGTON -- Let's start at the airport tonight with a report card on airline customer service.

Tough times for airlines seems to have translated into even worse customer service last year in everything from misplaced baggage to late departures.

So Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal printed a report card on customer service that looked at five service categories: on-time arrivals, mishandled baggage, customer complaints, bumped passengers and canceled flights. Here's how the airlines stacked up.


Jet Blue took first place, followed by Southwest, AirTran, Northwest, and American. Continental took 6th place, then Alaska Airlines, U.S. Airways, United, and Delta in 10th place. Analysts say short-term customer service problems don't have much impact, but bad service can damage an airline's business over the years.

 

[NYCDelta]

DL mishandled bags 2206/2005
12 DELTA AIR LINES 456,200 6.88 573,419 7.09

Not sure what this has to do with the post about SWA. "Deltawatch" is no fan of Delta; I believe he works for US, as 94% of his posts are on this forum, and they are usually anti-Delta. I think he was just trying to make a point: Southwest airlines has their #### together compared to other airlines. He keeps posting about US and you keep answering his post with something about DL-you're preaching to the choir.

 

[hula-flyguy]

Not sure what this has to do with the post about SWA. "Deltawatch" is no fan of Delta; I believe he works for US, as 94% of his posts are on this forum, and they are usually anti-Delta. I think he was just trying to make a point: Southwest airlines has their #### together compared to other airlines. He keeps posting about US and you keep answering his post with something about DL-you're preaching to the choir.

There was no mention of SWA in the opening post


Next hymn?

 

[NYCDelta]

There was no mention of SWA in the opening post
Next hymn?

Nope, try post #6.

 

[hula-flyguy]

Nope, try post #6.

Ok, post 6. Was that the begining fo the thread?

 

[UWCactus]

PHL is still one of the single biggest factors in the complaint department, however it's improving little by little. New procedures are in place and if you talk to people there, they will admit that it's improving, but it has taken more money than initially thought. PHL was grossly under managed in the Old US Airways.

 

[NYCDelta]

Ok, post 6. Was that the begining fo the thread?

Forget it. I was just commenting on your response to the comparison between SWA and US, which had nothing to do with what was being compared.

 

[Charlie_Tuna]

Just so it is apples to apples how many hub and spokes does SWA operate and how many connections does SWA fly? Do they transfer bags between them and other airlines?