Delta Air Lines garnered the No. 1 spot for airline customer satisfaction in first or business class and in premium economy, according to a new J.D. Power study released Wednesday.
Atlanta-based Delta got the highest score in the two categories among several North American carriers ranked in the study, one of the best-known consumer rankings in the air travel industry.
Airlines have invested in training and other aspects of the flight experience to try to maintain customer satisfaction, despite crowded airports, according to J.D. Power.
Last year, Delta ranked highest in the premium economy segment in J.D. Power’s study but was beat out by JetBlue in the first class/business class segment.
But this year, Delta “edged out JetBlue for the first time” since the category was established in 2022, said Mike Taylor, J.D. Power’s practice lead for the airline study.
Delta’s scores for its staff in particular “were significantly ahead of most of the other airlines,” Taylor said. “They’ve been really spent a lot of time and effort training people on how to deal with passengers and make them feel wanted.”
Delta CEO Ed Bastian in a written statement called the top ranking “a wonderful reflection of our elevated customer experience, fueled by the unparalleled service of our 100,000 Delta people worldwide.”
In the economy class category, Southwest Airlines scored the highest. Dallas-based Southwest is the second-largest carrier at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Delta came on No. 2 in the economy class category.
Both Delta and Southwest have made big investments in staff and training, which pays off in interpersonal interactions, the study said.
Delta also uses technology to allow flight attendants to personalize their interactions with customers on board, Taylor said, to “make them feel valued as a Delta customer, and give them sort of individual recognition, rather than being just one of the herd.” The ability to track bags on Delta also improves satisfaction, he said.
“Both Delta and Southwest give the passenger a feeling like that, you know, they’re happy they’re flying with this particular airline,” Taylor said.
J.D Power’s North American Airline Satisfaction Study was redesigned this year to focus on different areas to measure passenger satisfaction, including staff, digital tools, ease of travel, level of trust, onboard experience, pre/post flight experience and value for price paid. It was based on responses from 9,852 passengers between March 2023 and March 2024 who had flown a major North American airline within the previous month.
Federal officials have also been working on ways to improve airline customer satisfaction.
The Biden Administration last month finalized a new rule to require airlines to give automatic cash refunds without passengers having to request them for significantly delayed or canceled flights, starting Oct. 28. Airlines will also be required in the future to more clearly tell customers upfront about baggage fees and other fees.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said when announcing the new regulation: “This isn’t just about enforcing when something goes wrong — it’s making it less likely something would go wrong in the first place.”
The DOT is also working on regulations to better protect the rights of passengers who use wheelchairs, make it mandatory to provide compensation and amenities for delays or cancellations caused by an airline and other changes.
Credit: Source: J.D. Power 2024 North America Airline Satisfaction Study
Credit: Source: J.D. Power 2024 North America Airline Satisfaction Study
Credit: Source: J.D. Power 2024 North America Airline Satisfaction Study
Credit: Source: J.D. Power 2024 North America Airline Satisfaction Study
Credit: Source: J.D. Power 2024 North America Airline Satisfaction Study
Credit: Source: J.D. Power 2024 North America Airline Satisfaction Study
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