2004 Airline Quality Lowest in US Since 2000

The quality of airline service in the U.S. deteriorated in 2004 after rising each of the three previous years, according to the 15th annual Airline Quality Rating report released this week.

The authors, professors Brent Bowen of the University of Nebraska-Omaha and Dean Headley of Wichita State University in Wichita, predict that service quality will continue declining as passenger demand and congestion pass pre-Sept. 11-attack levels.

Another factor is cost cutting that has erased more than 100,000 airline jobs since 2000. Bowen and Headley said stress on remaining workers is hurting morale, which leads to poorer service.

The researchers created an index to track trends in U.S. airlines´ customer service, relying heavily on data collected by the Department of Transportation for problems such as flight delays, mishandled bags and general complaints.

Their Airline Quality Rating score for 2004 is the lowest since 2000, when airline delays and congestion were in the news.

In response to the study, the trade group for the major airlines said yesterday that the researchers´ work failed to capture broader trends that show airlines are delivering more value. Examples include more airport kiosks, e-ticketing, and online reservation services and fare-comparison tools, the Air Transport Association said.