The demand for travel has increased significantly over the past year, but customers of airlines are growing more and more dissatisfied with expensive prices, a lack of staff, and poor service.
According to the J.D. Power 2023 North America Airline Happiness Study, this annoyance has caused passengers' happiness with airlines to fall. According to the survey, buyer satisfaction also markedly decreased in 2022, but passenger satisfaction decreased this year even more. Passenger satisfaction was rated by J.D. Power at 791 out of 1,000, which is a seven-point drop from 2022.
The study was carried out by J.D. Power between March 2022 and March 2023 using data from 7,774 passengers. In the survey, airlines are ranked according to their seat classes, which include first/business, premium economy, and economy/basic economy, as well as other aspects like price and fees, in-flight amenities, and check-in, to mention a few.
Despite operating with limited service and increasing tickets, the study found that this year's high cost of travel was the main factor contributing to the decline in consumer satisfaction.
However, if this pattern continues, passengers will reach a breaking point and some airline brands may be damaged, according to Michael Taylor, travel intelligence lead at J.D. Power. "These drawbacks have not yet dented the demand for leisure travel," he added.
Due to booking process simplifications, change charge waivers, and luggage waivers during the pandemic's peak in 2020–2021, airlines saw record-high consumer satisfaction ratings. In response to COVID-19, airlines implemented these steps.
Airlines, however, have been unable to keep up with the tremendous increase in traveler volume.
As cheap prices became more difficult to get, low-cost carriers saw some of the greatest drops in customer satisfaction this year – a 19-point drop for satisfaction with economy and basic economy classes.
The study did, however, have some promising results.
For example, from 2022, satisfaction with food and drink increased by 12 points.
For the 2023 study, passengers who flew first or business class expressed greater happiness. JetBlue ranked #1 in this category, followed by Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, while overall customer satisfaction with first and business class increased by nine points.
Despite not having a formal business class cabin throughout its entire fleet, JetBlue does equip some of its aircraft with its Mint lie-flat seats, which come with other benefits that resemble business class service. JetBlue's transcontinental and international flights tend to have such Mint seats, while they do occasionally operate on other routes.
Delta won the competition for the first-class economy. Second and third place, respectively, went to JetBlue and Alaska Airlines.
For basic economy and economy class, Southwest Airlines came out on top, followed by Delta and JetBlue in that order.
For the complete 2023 rankings, scroll down:
First/business class ratings
• JetBlue (893).
• Delta Airlines (865).
• United Airlines (848).
First/business class average is 846.
• Alaska Airlines (846).
• Air Canada (830).
• American Airlines (826).
Premium economy ratings
• Delta Air Lines (848).
• JetBlue (840).
• Alaska Airlines (823).
• American Airlines (821).
The premium economy average is 820.
• Air Canada (797).
• United Airlines (784).
Economy/basic economy ratings
• Southwest Airlines (827).
• Delta Air Lines (801).
• JetBlue (800).
Average for the economy/basic economy: 782.
• Alaska Airlines (781).
• WestJet (777).
• Allegiant Air (775).
• United Airlines (770).
• Air Canada (765).
• American Airlines (764).
• Spirit Airlines (727).
• Frontier Airlines (705).
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