Rating the Airlines
 

The June 1999 edition of Consumer Reports has an interesting article that rates the airlines on a bunch of criteria, few of which are of real concern to the folks I think habituate this site (except for baggage handling, which is a criterion that I personally put at the bottom of the pile - but that's neither here nor there). It's a pretty good article. Rates Aloha, Midway, and Southwest as "Superior value: Lower Fare, Higher Satisfaction". "Inferior Value: Higher Fare, Lower Satisfaction" includes American, Delta, and United. The other lines fall in the middle, under "Comfort at a Price" and "Basics on a Budget." Worth looking at.

[This message has been edited by philforest (edited 05-18-99).]

PhilForest - thanks for that bit of info! I actually found the article on-line (but you need to be a subscriber to Consumers Reports On-line in order to view)

If you are, then click the following:
http://www.consumerreports.org/Categ...s/9906air0.htm

Could someone please post this article who is a subscriber so that those of us who aren't can see it too? If there's not enough interest to post, please email me. Thanks & it's great to be back! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

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Regards,
- Anna

Anna, that is not what comsumers reports is in business as well as being illegal, copywrite and all. Suggest your local library or subscribe to CU and help them finance these and other studies.

AnnaS - Reuters News posted a summary of the Consumers Reports article....

see: http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/990517/bin.html

The Reuters article is very shallow. It doesn't do credit at all to the original.
ranles is right. More than that: Consumers Union actively prosecutes copyright infringement suits.
That's because they're a non-profit that depends on tax-deductible contributons, not advertising revenue, for support. They don't accept advertising, they don't accept corporate contributions, they buy their products anonymously, etc. Their whole credibility base (which is very strong) depends on this unbiased reputation.
You can subscribe for a very low fee (I think a one-year subscription is now about $25). If you do, though, you'll be inundated with requests for additional contributions - after all, this is the way the outfit supports itself.
I give them what I consider big bucks each year, and I continue to do so even though I think some of the consumer issues they are pushing aren't really good ones. Basically, though, it's a good tax-free contribution.
The Consumer Reports Travel Letter is good (Hear that, Randy) and the basic mag is also very good.
Phil

[This message has been edited by philforest (edited 05-19-99).]

You can also subscribe to their on-line service for I think 25 dollars (or less if you are an active subscriber.)

I use the on-line service to get back articles when I shop.

And Yes, PHIL, it's a very good article. Although some of it is stuff we know sadly too well.

There is only one real way to get ratings of the various airlines: read flyertalk (xspecially the wonderful trip reports).

Some extra help to those interested in the subject. Subscribers to Conte Nast Traveler received the annual airlines, hotel etc survey results in a separate publication enclosed in this months magazine (I received my 2 days ago). Great travel magazine, especially for those on vacations or mixed business and pleasure. Available thru most discount magazine services. The survey group for this study would tend to be more upscale travelers.

I like Consumer Reports - I'm a long time subscriber - but I find their reports are often targeted towards a middle of the road audience. Maybe with lawnmowers and refrigerators that's a good thing, but in the case of airline ratings, it's not very useful to this frequent traveller.

For instance, in the story on airline ratings, Consumer's does not incorporate frequent flyer programs into its quality ratings. While mileage programs may not have an impact on the folks who fly once or twice a year, they greatly impact my decision which airline to fly. My switch from UA to CO a couple of years ago means I now fly first class on nearly every flight without having to pay for upgrade coupons or wait at the gate to find out if my UA upgrade waitlist cleared. And my miles don't expire anymore. Both are huge plusses for CO; considering I would spend equivalent amounts on either airline, CO delivers much better value for my money.

Also missing from their ratings categories are convenience of schedule and frequency of service. Maybe Aloha's a great airline (they were top rated in the story), but can it get me where I want to go? What about the three stops I have to make on SW (the third rated carrier) to get me from here to there?

Consumer's did a survey of options for obtaining frequent flyer points about a year ago and panned mileage cards. True - they're a poor value for the average consumer charging 10K a year or less. But what about the business traveller like me who charges upwards of 70K per year? In that case, they're a good value, since I'm using a credit card anyway. But the Consumer's article never mentions that a mileage card might be a good option for some consumers.

I doubt if many people on these boards will find the story in Consumer's terribly useful in making a choice of carrier. It's interesting reading, but too superficial an analysis for my taste.

The Business Extra supplement to Conde Nast's June issue is available only to subscribers and is not on the newsstand (I think the supplement may also be in a current issue of Bloomberg). They surveyed 3000 of their "frequent business travelers" for the following results:

BEST BUSINESS CLASS WITHIN THE U.S.

1. Midwest Express
2. Alaska
3. United
4. American
5. Continental
6. Delta
7. TWA
8. US Airways
9. Midway
10. Reno Air

BEST TRANSATLANTIC BUSINESS CLASS

1. Virgin Atlantic
2. British Airways
3. Continental
4. Swissair
5. United
6. KLM
7. American
8. TWA
9. Austrain
10. Lufthansa

BEST TRANSPACIFIC BUSINESS CLASS

1. Singapore
2. Cathay Pacific
3. Continental
4. Qantas
5. Thai
6. Air New Zealand
7. All Nippon
8. American
9. United
10. Japan Airlines

Kudos to Continental for snaring the top slot among U.S. carriers for both trans- Pacific and Atlantic routes, though it should be pointed out they don't have First Class anymore (are their business fares competitive with other carriers on the same routes?).

I tend to agree with dgolds' evaluation of the Consumer Reports review of airlines. It's sort of shallow. The Conde Nast survey goes the other way. Maybe we should organize a true Frequent Flyer survey and sell it to someone?

Randy, are you listening???

I received the June issue of Frequent Flyer magazine with my OAG this afternoon. In case you haven't seen it, the yearly J.D. Power domestic airline passenger satisfaction study is in it. J.D. Power's ratings this year are:

Long haul flights:

1. Cntinental
2. TWA
3. American

Below industry average:

HP, DL, NW, SW, UA, US

Short haul flights:

1. TWA
2. Southwest
3. Continental/Delta (tie)

Below industry average:

AA, NW, UA

For this study, airlines are weighted on 9 ratings criteria: on-time performance (26%), airport check in (15%), availability / scheduling (11%), flight attendants (11%), seating area (10%), gate factors (8%), aircraft interior (7%), food service (7%), and frequent flyer program (6%).

Interestingly, NW ranked below average on all 9 criteria.

When Automobile magazine compared their list of recommended cars to Consumer Reports' list they pointed out that the CR was looking for "a reliable woman who cooks and cleans well", whereas Automobile was looking for the "adventursome mistress."

I have paraphrased somewhat.