Monday, April 7, 2003 | 9:35 a.m.
WASHINGTON -- Bad news for airlines translated into good news for their customers last year.
A slower economy and fear of terrorism meant fewer air travelers and financial losses for nearly every major airline. But a study released today concluded that airline service improved, according to such criteria as on-time performance, denied boardings, mishandled baggage and customer complaints.
"Let's hope the airlines can remember the importance of taking care of passengers when times get better," said Dean Headley, one of the study's co-authors and a Wichita State University professor.
US Airways, which emerged from bankruptcy protection last week, was ranked No. 1 for customer service, up from second place the year before.
Alaska Airlines dropped to second place from the previous year, though its overall score improved.
American Eagle was the only airline to show a noticeable decline, and Northwest was the only airline to stay about the same, the report said. All others got better.
Service has been improving since the delay-ridden summer of 2000, said the study, based on Transportation Department statistics and supported by Wichita State and the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
US Airways and United, which is in bankruptcy, managed to be on time more often, mishandle fewer bags and generate fewer consumer complaints than they did the previous year, the report said. United bumped fewer passengers and improved the most of all the airlines.
The only major airline that made a profit last year, Southwest, also got better. Southwest consistently has the lowest complaint rate -- .33 per 100,000 passengers -- compared with an industry rate of 1.22, the report said.
Delta increased the rate of denied boardings by more than 40 percent for the second straight year, the report said, though the airline improved in other areas.
Such rankings don't affect traveler's buying decisions, said David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers Association.
Travelers make their initial choice based on price and schedule and then on frequent flyer programs, he said.
"All things being equal, the frequent-flier relationship will often be the tie breaker," Stempler said.
The report was co-authored by Brent Bowen, director of the University of Nebraska's Aviation Institute.
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