porciuscato

Another customer satisfaction survey, another rock-bottom rating for United......

J.D. Power 2018 North America Airline Satisfaction Study | J.D. Power

Among traditional carriers, United is ranked dead last, even below Air Canada (no mean feat).

Among all carriers (i.e. including the ultra-discount), United ranks below Allegiant(!). In this category, luckily there's Frontier, which edges United out of the dead-last position. Hey, second-to-last when compared to airlines that can't afford to crash, is progress!

Edit: looking at last year's survey, it appears that United is the single airline (referred to in the release) that actually had ratings decline. Even Frontier improved.

trk1

The survey is meaningless. The flyers that filled it out have flown at best about 2 airlines this year. Not possible to rate what has not been flown.
It is hearsay and not relevant

wanderingkev

Might be meaningless, but JD Power is an organization that carry's weight and is broadly touted by organizations who perform well in it's survey's, given UA's recent PR challenges I am sure
that it will reinforce some negative perceptions of UA which maybe be true or not. I don't think the first thought of an infrequent traveler/joe public would be to challenge the integrity of the data as a result it is damaging in some cases no doubt unfairly.

porciuscato

And you know that how?

As it is, it squares with my experience and I've flown at least 10 airlines this year. About 100 flights so far. The only category United seems to consistently excel in is having the highest proportion of FAWAs (Flight Attendants With Attitude). I can vouch that survey is right at least on that point. Even Allegiant is better.

I would also point you to the thread started by the guy who switched from Alaska (the top rated airline). You can just sense the incredulity from him that United is as bad as it is.

Kmxu

The Dao event is responsible for ratings decline. My colleague, who never flew United, told me not to be beaten by United when I told them I would fly United tomorrow.

DetroitFlyer

What a shame. I've had positive experiences in the 26 flights I've flown on United so far, both in front and back. Room for improvement? Yes. But I wouldn't say deserving of being last.

pushmyredbutton

Yeah that still happens to me. I roll my eyes, but it certainly did impact the brand and likely the ratings, too.

RichardInSF

Maybe there are two UA;s, one for you and Global Service, then one for the rest of us.

Flying international business, United is clearly below all other carriers that I have flown internationally (there are several) in the past 18 months.

Collierkr

mahasamatman

I do a lot of surveys and I have one hard-and-fast rule - I never take J.D. Power surveys. They're a waste of time and so poorly written they can't possibly generate any useful data.

chipmaster

Lets see in the last 18 months I've made 44 RTs of which 95% are international including 4 segements. I've flown AS, AC, DL, WN, MU, BR, AA, CA, HU, and of course UA. Sadly all in Econ or E+ with UA. From my experience I'd say that of the US domestic big 3 DL, AA, UA bring up the rear in service quality/attitude with AS probably up near the top with AC and WN grouped with tightly with BR, CA, MU, HU. Then after that group the DL/AA and UA trailing badly behind. The only reason I fly UA is their schedule and convenience, even if I could find another daily alternative I'd so be gone.


Where to start #1 the FA and GA are so bad. This is a generality, I've met some great FA/GAs but on average the cultural that appears to permeate them isn't one that give me any impression they care or are rewarded for providing good service. Even when it comes to food I have the memory of UA bring up the rear, maybe it all starts with the stink memory / experience with FA/GA that makes same food taste terrible.

This start with management and the union, but for now what choice to I have. I need to get where I need to get and I can tolerate crap service as long as I get their safely, LOL I hear the Wells Fargo commercials, haven't stepped into one of their branches to see if they've taken religion to their Ads, but maybe Oscar and company could learn a thing or two if they cared about this. Too bad there isn't more competition, if there was, UA would change or die.

demkr

UA_Flyer

fumje

I suspect the latter, since — as others have said — I also still hear about Dao from people who don't fly regularly. It doesn't seem any other airline has such a PR problem.

That said, the PR problem was sort of indicative of other issues with UA presenting itself poorly (agent attitudes, service consistency), so the uninformed perceptions don't necessarily move independently of the experienced ones.

chipmaster

FWIW this past year I had the to almost directly compare same class / destination on WN, AC, DL, AA, AS, CA, MU, HU, perhaps slightly different originating city but same destination. Each time I experience something positive or negative I really ask my self is my observation poisoned?

I have to say this past time on UA199 from PVG-LAX I had one of the most delightful FA, I sat in emergency, he was in the jump seat, and we endured a more than 2 hour weather delay. He was exceptional and I learned a few tidbits too, the reality is I experience that maybe once in a dozen times with UA but find that often on the other airlines, as well as what I'd call above average. Too many times I do a double take when water, drinks or I make a request on UA to the FA/GA response, compared to others I'd say far less.

So for me personally, NO it ain't impression it is from spending 1K hours in or at an airport with these people.

I do hope someone at UA takes notice and cares, and does something, they could be so much better, and it really cost very little in dollars and they will make it up in fuller planes and happier passengers. Happier passengers mean happier planes, faster turn around and it snowballs to win-win. You'd think something so simple would be important and a priority at these companies in additional to $