The respected J.D. Power 2016 North American Airline Satisfaction Studyâ„  concludes passenger satisfaction climbed to a ten-year high as the result of better in-flight services and a “growing acceptance of extra fees.” Lower fares, less frequently lost luggage and better on-time arrivals didn’t hurt passenger assessment either. 

That said, “The perception of the airline experience still has a lot of room for improvement,” says Rick Garlick, J.D. Power’s global travel and hospitality practice lead.

The company measured satisfaction by assessing passenger perception of cost and fees, in-flight service, boarding/deplaning/baggage, flight crew, check-in and reservations and aircraft. The study is pegged to responses from 10,348 passengers who flew North American airlines between March 2015 and March 2016.

Key findings include:
-    Airlines have made a concerted effort to improve the overall passenger experiences by enhancing product and service offerings;
-    Passengers are more tolerant these days of paying ancillary fees for things like extra legroom;
-    Social media is the feedback tool of choice for passengers, especially business travelers;
-    Business flyers are more satisfied than leisure travelers.

As for how the so-called “traditional” carriers rank, passengers put Alaska Airlines at the top of their list for a ninth consecutive year. Delta Air Lines was second. In the low-cost arena, JetBlue placed first, this for the 11th year running. Southwest Airlines was second, most notably in terms of how flyers rated flight crews and aircraft.
 

Read: Millions heading for, or traveling within America to face chaos