Okay…You can’t blame us for wanting to point out that despite the dismal prediction for airline Customer Service this summer, Southwest Airlines’ score in this year’s American Customer Satisfaction Index actually IMPROVED from last year.
With an industry average of 62 points, Southwest is actually up 4 percent from last year, to 79 points. Borrowing a quote here from Claes Fornell, the survey’s founder, Southwest “has led the industry in passenger satisfaction for the past 15 years, and is one of only three airlines to improve since last year. It’s strong ACSI results kept the airlines from setting a record low.”
Among our points of difference:
• Southwest does not charge a change fee
• Southwest does not charge you to purchase a paper ticket, or to purchase that ticket at the airport
• Southwest allows two checked bags for free
• Southwest does not charge for soft drinks, juice, water, snacks, pillows, or blankets
• Southwest does not charge to check a bag at the curb
• Southwest does not eat the value of an unused ticket (it may be applied toward future travel)
Also, we’re hedged up on fuel, adding routes, profitable, and not seeking a merger!
***To read more, visit the following links to articles from some of the industry's most popular bloggers:
SHOCKER: Airline service still lousy
via Sky Talk by Rick on 5/20/08
http://startelegram.typepad.com/sky_talk/2008/05/shocker-airline.html
The biggest losers: big airlines, hotels — and you
via elliott.org by Christopher Elliott on 5/20/08
https://www4.swalife.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/elliottorg/~3/2942...
Survey Says, Americans Can’t Get No Satisfaction — from the Airlines
via RickSeaney.com by Rick Seaney on 5/20/08
http://rickseaney.com/2008/05/20/survey-says-americans-cant-get-no-satisfaction-from-the-airlines/
The truth about airline customer satisfaction surveys
via tripso.com by David Burns on 5/20/08
http://www.tripso.com/today/the-truth-about-airline-customer-satisfaction-surveys/
