Airline performance improves; one of best years ever, according to Airline Quality Rating

Airline Quality Rating revealed (12-Apr-2010) that, for the second consecutive year, the performance of the leading US carriers improved in 2009. The result was the third best overall score in the 19 years researchers have tracked airline performance. The rankings show that of the 17 carriers rated in 2008 and 2009, all but Alaska Airlines had improved Airline Quality Rating scores for 2009. The industry improved in three of the four main elements of the AQR: on-time performance, baggage handling and customer complaints. Denied boardings is the only element where the performance declined. The Airline Quality Rating ranked the nation's leading 18 airlines, as follows

1. Hawaiian (Number 1 ranking also in 2009);
2. AirTran (2);
3. JetBlue (3);
4. Northwest (4);
5. Southwest (6);
6. Continental (8);
7. Frontier (7);
8. US Airways (10);
9. American (9);
10. ExpressJet (not ranked in 2009);
11. Alaska (5);
12. Mesa (14);
13. United (11);
14. SkyWest (13);
15. Delta (12);
16. Comair (15);
17. Atlantic Southeast (17);
18. American Eagle (16). [more - Airline Quality Rating] [more - Hawaiian Airlines] [more - AirTran][more - Perspective]