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Airline flight gift certificate

Airline Customer Service in a Flat Spin

Airline flight has become even less pleasant over the past three years, according to a report from J. D. Powers and Associates. Passengers cite poor customer service as the leading source of dissatisfaction, even more so than higher fares and those mysterious "added charges."

Discount carriers like JetBlue and Southwest Airlines continue to receive high marks from passengers in terms of in-flight services, aircraft, check-in, costs and fees, boarding/deplaning/baggage, and flight crews. Larger carriers, like United and Delta, fall short in providing a quality airline flight experience.

Airline customers rate "people skills" as being one of the major factors in their choice of carrier. Courtesy, knowledge, and overall helpfulness of airline personnel -- from the reservationist to the skycap at the final destination -- contribute to customer satisfaction.

With airlines facing narrower and narrower profit margins, staffing cuts are counterproductive in the eyes of the customer.