Airline Performance Improves; One of Best Years Ever, According to Airline Quality Rating

WASHINGTON, April 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Airlines and airline passengers are discovering that less can be better. Fewer flights and fewer fliers have translated into better performance.

For the second consecutive year, the performance of the nation's leading carriers improved, according to the 20th annual national Airline Quality Rating ( http://aqr.aero ). It was the third best overall score in the 19 years researchers have tracked the performance of airlines.

Released during a news conference at the National Press Club today (Monday, April 12), the rankings show that of the 17 carriers rated in both 2008 and 2009, all but Alaska Airlines had improved Airline Quality Rating scores for 2009.

The Airline Quality Rating is a joint research project funded as part of faculty research activities at Purdue University and Wichita State University.

The industry improved in three of the four major elements of the AQR: on-time performance, baggage handling and customer complaints. Denied boardings is the only element where the performance declined.

Below is the 2010 numerical ranking of the nation's leading 18 airlines, according to the Airline Quality Rating, with the 2009 ranking in parentheses:

1.     Hawaiian (1)

2.     AirTran (2)

3.     JetBlue (3)

4.     Northwest (4)

5.     Southwest (6)

6.     Continental (8)

7.     Frontier (7)

8.     US Airways (10)

9.     American (9)

10.   ExpressJet (not ranked in 2009 report)

11.   Alaska (5)

12.   Mesa (14)

13.   United (11)

14.   SkyWest (13)

15.   Delta (12)

16.   Comair (15)

17.   Atlantic Southeast (17)

18.   American Eagle (16)

An electronic version of the full report, with details on each airline, is available at http://aqr.aero.

Media Notes

For more information or help in arranging interviews, contact:

Joe Kleinsasser, Wichita State University (316) 204-8266 (cell), or Shannon Littlejohn, WSU, at (316) 978-3820 or [email protected].

Jim Schenke, Purdue News Service, (765) 430-7307 cell, (765) 494-6262 or [email protected].

Taped comments by Dean Headley will be available via the WSU Radio Newsline at http://www.wichita.edu/newsline beginning at 9:30 a.m. (EDT) Monday, April 12.

Dena Headley may be contacted after the news conference by calling the Hilton Garden Inn in Washington, D.C., at (202) 783-7800, and ask for the room of Dean Headley.

Brent Bowen may be contacted at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., by calling (765) 494-5782.

SOURCE Wichita State University