Air travel quality improves yet rising complaints persist
The 2016 Airline Quality Rating shows U.S. carriers improved on time arrivals baggage handling and gate access in 2015 yet consumer complaints remain high. Hawaiian led on time 88.4 percent Spirit trailed at 69 percent. Misplaced baggage fell to 3.24 per 1000 fliers with Virgin America top baggage handling while Envoy posted the worst. Denied boardings fell to 0.76 per 10 000 fliers though wide airline variation remains.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
U.S
Dean Headley
Wichita State University
United
Southwest
American
Delta
Hawaiian Airlines
Spirit
Virgin America
Burlingame
Envoy
ExpressJet
SkyWest
Headley
JetBlue
Envoy Air
Top U S Airlines Ranked by On Time and Complaints
The 2016 Airline Quality Rating lists Hawaiian as best for on time arrivals at 88.4 percent and Spirit as worst on time at 69 percent. Denied boardings are rare for JetBlue, mishandled bags peak with Envoy and Spirit, while Alaska shows the lowest complaint rate at 0.50 per 100,000 fliers.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
U.S
JetBlue
Virgin America
Alaska Airlines
Spirit
Envoy
Headley
Tow to Gate Why aircraft tow ins?
A San Antonio reader asks why a tow in gate is used for safety and precision near obstructions. Ground tugs save fuel and improve parking accuracy by allowing the tug driver to see around the aircraft better than the pilot from the cockpit.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
San Antonio
Irma Lopez
O’hare
Dave C
Iowa
Nakul Vir
India
Barrett
Dallas
Troubling signs for aviation safety alarm travelers voice concerns
Scott Cocking of West New York NJ worries about TSA failures and aviation disaster risk amid recent events including Brussels bombings. Experts note airline safety has improved with few crashes since the 2010s, while fear and TSA criticism persist among travelers and commentators.
Safe Summer Flight Guidance Cites Carriers And Risks
A consumer overview weighs airline safety with top carriers JetBlue Delta and Southwest highlighted as safest in the US per Jet Airliner Crash Data Evaluation Centre. It warns against low fares masking maintenance issues and notes recent high profile crashes in Russia and France, urging cautious flying during the summer travel season.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
United States
JetBlue
Delta
Southwest
U.S
Rostov-on-Don
Russia
Prads-Haute-Bléone
France
Andreas Lubitz
Alps
Mary Schiavo
U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General
Patrick Smith
Cockpit Confidential
Also Mentioned on This Page
Eliot J. Schechier
Spirit Airlines
SA Today
Travel
Usatoday.com
Scott Cocking
Cocking
West New York
Transportation Security Administration
Brussels
Germany
Cathay Pacific Airways
Emirates
EVA Air
JetBlue Airways
USS
Delta Air Lines
TSA
America
Beth Allen
Tucson
Phil Derner, Jr
New York
Christopher Elliott
chris@elliott.org
USA Today
Scott Olson
Getty Images
Nepal
Indonesia
Suriname
Airlineratings.com
Elliott
National Geographic Traveler
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