Travelers Talk Back - SmarterTravel Reveals Results of Readers' Choice Awards
From Southwest to US Airways, Travelers' Favorites - and Least Favorites -Revealed
BOSTON, Oct. 27 -- After soliciting feedback from almost 10,000 travelers, SmarterTravel today announced the results of its Readers' Choice Awards.
The awards honor the top American and international airlines for their commitment to providing travelers with quality service, on-time departures and ease of travel. Categories include: Best Overall Value, Best Airfare Prices, Best In-Seat Comfort, Most Reliable On-Time Service, Best Rates & Availability and Best Frequent Flyer Program. The Readers' Choice Awards also recognize the airlines that leave much to be desired in air travel, awarding the Least Favorite Airline and Dirtiest Airline Cabin, as well as the Least Favorite Airport.
"Air travel has gotten a lot more difficult and expensive in the past year. Our awards aim to give credit to the airlines that really do put the consumer first," said Anne Banas, executive editor, SmarterTravel. "We hope that our awards will set a benchmark for how travelers truly feel about the airline industry, and that this will help to return air travel to the fun and comfortable experience it has been in the past."
Select 2008 winners:
Best Overall Value
-- Southwest Airlines
Best Customer Service
-- Southwest Airlines
Dirtiest Airline Cabin
-- US Airways
Best In-Seat Comfort
-- Jetblue Airways
Least Favorite Airline
-- US Airways
In addition to rating the airlines, SmarterTravel readers were also given the opportunity to provide feedback on their recent air travel experiences and share thoughts on their favorites. Other airlines were also mentioned as a favorite, but many travelers noted that no single airline truly stood out, highlighting the issues within the air industry.
A few other noteworthy responses: Traditional airlines led the pack for the Least Favorite category, although many write-in responses noted all airlines were the least favorite. Southwest's frequent flyer program received top marks, but many readers noted they do not use the programs anymore, as airlines make it more difficult for travelers to redeem miles for tickets. In regards to airlines being on time, one respondent summed it up simply with, "You're kidding, right?"
For the complete list of winners and categories in the 2008 Readers' Choice Awards, visit http://www.smartertravel.com/special-reports/ReadersChoice/.
About SmarterTravel
SmarterTravel provides independent advice and analysis that helps travelers find the best deals and get the most value from their trips. SmarterTravel has an unbiased team of travel experts who analyze travel trends and offer money-saving strategies and travel tips. For more information and travel advice, visit http://www.smartertravel.com.
SmarterTravel is a division of Smarter Travel Media LLC. Smarter Travel Media operates AirfareWatchdog.com(TM), BookingBuddy (R), FrequentFlier.com and SmarterTravel, including sites in the U.K. and India.
Airfarewatchdog, BookingBuddy and SmarterTravel are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Smarter Travel Media LLC in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners.
SOURCE SmarterTravel
-0- 10/27/2008
/CONTACT: Mel Bolton of Dotted Line Communications for SmarterTravel,
+1-510-704-0870, mel@dottedlinecomm.com/
/Web site: http://www.smartertravel.com
http://www.smartertravel.com/special-reports/ReadersChoice /
CO: SmarterTravel
ST: Massachusetts
IN: MLM AIR PUB TRA CPR
SU: SVY AWD
RB-AM
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6127 10/27/2008 10:26 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com
