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America's Meanest Airlines
2011's Airline Quality Report came out this month, which means that it's time to distill out the industry leaders in a variety of categories, from on-time departures to lost bags to general happiness among passengers. Reporting on the best of the best is only half as fun as vilifying the worst though, so Yahoo and US News took the liberty of sorting out the worst performers in each category and hanging their decapitated bodies in the public square for everyone to shame. Among the losers this year:Meanest major carrier: United Airlines
Meanest regional carrier: American Eagle
Most complained about airline: Delta Air Lines
Most likely to be unsafe: Jetblue
Most likely to overcharge for bags: Delta / US Airways / Continental
Most likely to bump you: American Eagle
Most likely to be late: Comair
Most likely to mishandle your bag: American Eagle
Daunting stuff, right? Maybe. Bear in mind, that the AQR samples a limited data set over a limited market, and that the term "worst" doesn't necessarily mean that service is bad. American Eagle, for example, mishandles 7.15 bags for every thousand that go through its hands. The best carrier? Air Tran at 1.63 per thousand. That's 1 drop in the bucket versus 1.0002 drops in the bucket.
Our suggestion? If you really want to figure out why each airline performed the worst in its own category then download the AQR yourself and flip through the data. It's the only way you can get an accurate gauge of quality.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 10)
Aleida Apr 10th 2011 8:23PM
This is some good information to keep in mind when choosing an airline. Mistakes do happen and no one is perfect but you can at least make choices that make them less likely to occur.
Emma Geraln Apr 11th 2011 8:34AM
Not surprising, apart from maybe Ryanair AA are the worst I've ever experienced.
wil2660 Apr 11th 2011 3:51PM
Ryan Air is in a class of it's own as far as lousy airlines.
Cycledoc Apr 11th 2011 9:45AM
Hawaiian takes the prize for me. Their "premium meal" is a cheese burger. They are unable to coordinate connecting flights so that when one of their U.S. to Hawaii flights is slightly late connecting passengers are not provided assured ongoing flights. Everything seems like the "first time it's happened."
Arlene Apr 11th 2011 4:36PM
I've always gotten FREE meals on Hawaiian Airlines on roundtrips from the Mainland to Honolulu. When we've flown First Class, we were given a choice of 3 entrees out of 6. In Coach, there was always a choice of 2 items, either a turkey and swiss sandwich or a hot entree, usually a pasta meal. There are pemium meals, however, that is your choice IF you want to pay for them and you are aware of the price and item BEFORE you order.
Hawaiian Airlines has the friendliest flight attendants, who greet you and treat you with the Aloha spirit that makes me want to keep returning. Even in Coach, the seats are comfortable because of the 767 fleet they use, my husband and I get to sit aisle and seat, unlike other airlines sitting 3 across. First Class service is the greatest (compared with the crummy First Class of Delta).
I absolutely LOVE Hawaiian Airlines and my only regret is that they don't fly from one mainland city to another.
James Apr 11th 2011 12:01PM
The worst airline is unique to each persons experience. It is the one that they have had the worst experience with and would avoid patronizing if at all possible. For me, It's Delta.
Donnie Apr 11th 2011 2:24PM
I was shock that we didn't even get a meal while flying first class on Delta from Salt Lake to Houston and the flight attendent just sat there the whole flight doing nothing.
Barbara Apr 11th 2011 3:08PM
My complaint with big "D" is one of their flight attendentants has slept with my husband! She goes above and beyond her duties of coffee tea or me. Her name is Diane Col_ m_n. She offered counseling to my husband and told him he needs to divorce his wife of 31 years. She has been married 33 years, but, my husband makes a much better salary than hers, so she left her husband too. I called and talked to Delta, they don't have any rules anymore on employees fraternizing with the customers. It just takes ONE to give a bad name to ALL!
Nic Apr 11th 2011 6:25PM
Im sorry James..but are you serious? Used to be all passengers would do is complain about how bad the food was as they stalked the flight attendants with their eyes as they served each passenger...making sure not to MISS that awful meal...Now that they dont supply them, you're suprised? Do you REALLY base your travel on an airplane meal? When you rent a car does it come with a free starbucks coffee? When you check into a hotel is there a complimentary meal? Then why would you expect a meal on a domestic flight? They need to start charging for soft drinks as well. American society is so entitled and greedy. I suggest bringing your own snacks like a big boy in case of cancellation or ground delays you would be self sufficient. They sell water and food in the airport...stock up
nic Apr 11th 2011 6:38PM
oops sorry James..i meant Donnie
Katie Apr 11th 2011 6:47PM
Delta is awful. I was pregnant and going from Baltimore to Phoenix. There I was to meet friends and we were driving to Vegas for a business meeting. I boarded in Baltimore and wasn't told the connecting flight in Atlanta to Phoenix had been canceled. I got to Atlanta, and they told me they wouldn't put me on the next flight to Vegas because that wasn't my itinerary. They also wouldn't send me home because the ticket price was different. They did offer to put me up in a hotel for a night until I could figure out 'my predicament'! My attorney had to spend hours on the phone going through the chain of command at Delta until he found someone who was smart enough not to want the bad publicity and be sued. I got on the Vegas flight and gave the ticket agent who was a b_t_h the bird. I wouldn't fly Delta if my azz was on fire.
Katie Apr 11th 2011 6:52PM
Nic - the price of the first class tickets is really high, and the whole point of that ticket is exclusivity and service. People all over the world pay for first class and expect to be treated as such. Right now a round trip first class ticket from Baltimore to Phoenix in June is nearly $3,000. I expect real service for that, a meal if I ask, and soft drinks. Asian airline carriers provide that AND awesome seating. Americans aren't spoiled when they pay their money - they are used to being brow beaten to accept they shouldn't get what they pay for but the rest of the world gets.
James Apr 11th 2011 7:13PM
Allow me to expand on my comment. The main point I meant to make is that everybody has a one and only worst airline based on their experience. My comment was not specifically about Delta. My own worst experience with Delta had nothing to do with a travel experience. It was that I had failed to travel with Delta for a 2 year period, and Delta deleted 50,000 miles previously accumulated in my frequent flyer account. No notice, no warning, no offer to fly with them again.
That was just extreme poor marketing and stupid. They lost me. The reason for the lapse was that Continental met my needs more. But I would have gladly gone with Delta if they had asked, or if they had even so much as warned that they were about to take such drastic action.
But my point was that each person has their own worst and best airline based on their own experience. Mine is Delta for that loss of miles.
Sylvia Apr 11th 2011 7:29PM
Recently we had a Delta flt cxled due to "mechanical" issues. So we were asked to drive 120 miles to another airport to catch a flight, which was also cxled due to mechanical issues. Driving 120 miles back, we were rescheduled the following day - missing a day of our European vacation, four hours of our lives, 18 gal of gas and prepaid spa reservations in PRG. 13 empty seats in Business class from JFK to PRG and they refused to upgrade us. Instead they offered $125 voucher to take another flight with them... Unbelievable! And they wonder why people hate them!
mallthus Apr 14th 2011 3:14PM
I actually "like" (as in, they're better than others) Delta.
When I fly Delta, by and large they're pleasant, on-time and the planes are clean.
On the other hand, United are rarely on time, their planes very nearly always filthy and their staff is, at best, curmudgeonly. American are, by and large, about on par with United, except that they're typically more money, a fact only offset (slightly) by cleaner aircraft.
I know everyone waxes poetic about Southwest, but, in my experience, their fares are generally on par with (if not higher than) their competitors. Although their staff are pretty good and their aircraft clean, their routing options can be ridiculous. Unless I'm playing the mileage game for status upgrades, a 2 or 3 stop routing is never as good as a one stop or nonstop.
US Airways is hit or miss, depending on whether you're getting a former America West crew and/or agent or an "old US Airways" crew/agent. Basically, the AW folks are good, the old US folks frighteningly bad.
All told, just my 2ยข. I tend to think that everyone's least favorite airline is the one they just flew and since Delta's biggest, they're the whipping boy for the industry.
JOhn Apr 11th 2011 2:10PM
Why anyone flies any other airline than Southwest is a mystery to me. They have the best fares, the best costumer service and one of the best safety records
dennis Apr 11th 2011 4:12PM
john southwest is a good airline,only problem is they only fly in the states.
don Apr 11th 2011 2:28PM
why does anyone fly somebody else when they can fly Southwest...let me see....
Southwest does not fly to Europe
Southwest does not fly to Asia
Southwest does not fly to Hawaii
There are three reasons right there....
jen Apr 11th 2011 2:46PM
"one of the best safety records " ??????? They just grounded more than 70 of their B-737. I like moon roof in cars not in aircrafts.
"the best fares"????? Only in markets with no competitions.
Victoria Apr 11th 2011 3:23PM
Sorry, where did you get your info? Ask any pilot in any poilot/airport circle, southwest has one of the worst for safety...and the most recent happenings finally give the public a clear picture. Think about it, if their fares are so low...how are they saving money?