Feature of the Month
Congratulations to AirTran and JetBlue - Top Airlines in 2005 Air Quality Rating (AQR) Report
AirTran Airways and JetBlue Airways earned top honors in the highly regarded 2005 Air Quality Rating (AQR) report. In the annual study, JetBlue was ranked No. 1 again this year, and AirTran rose from the No. 8 spot in 2004 to No. 2 in 2005. This year marks the first time that low-fare airlines have held the top three positions in the AQR.
The study uses mathematical measures to objectively rank the consumer satisfaction and performance of the top 16 U.S. domestic airlines. Evaluations are based on actual performance data in 15 key areas for travelers, such as on-time performance, mishandled baggage, denied boardings and customer complaints, compiled from Air Travel Consumer Report published by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
"AirTran's and JetBlue's impressive performances reflect their strong commitment to customer service, dedicated crew members and consistent delivery of the features and services that travelers value most highly," said John Dabkowski, Navitaire's senior vice president of sales and product management. "The management and staff of both airlines have developed and executed winning strategies that continue to pay off with high customer satisfaction which stimulates increased passenger growth and customer loyalty."
Achieving the two highest AQR rankings is a tremendous accomplishment in any year, however, it is especially remarkable for AirTran and JetBlue given several unique challenges each faced last year. The two leaders expanded dramatically in 2004 - year-over-year passenger volumes increased more than 12 percent for AirTran, and nearly 25 percent for JetBlue. Also, last summer both airlines' flights were severely impacted by a series of powerful hurricanes in Florida. Flights to and from Florida represent a substantial number of Orlando based Air Tran's routes, as well as JetBlue's extensive Florida services to northeastern U.S. cities including its JFK hub.
"We salute AirTran's and JetBlue's richly deserved awards, and are thrilled that two of Navitaire's U.S. based airlines using our reservation services have won the highest quality ratings," John continued. "This study confirms that JetBlue and AirTran lead the industry in the U.S. in terms of customer service and operational performance not only during crisis periods, but throughout the year. We are honored to serve these successful airlines as a trusted service partner."
More Accolades for AirTran and JetBlue
AirTran and JetBlue also scored among the top five U.S. domestic airlines in the J.D. Power and Associates Airline Customers Satisfaction Index Study issued in March 2005. The J.D. Power study is based on survey responses from 2,600 passengers who flew on a major U.S. airline with over US$1 billion in revenue during a six month period in 2004.
"It's no surprise that AirTran and JetBlue have earned these coveted honors," said John. "These innovative airlines will continue to set a high standard for other carriers to meet, and Navitaire will be ready to support their key business technology needs."
For more information on the 2005 Air Quality Report, please visit the AQR website at http://www.aqr.aero/.
For more information on the J.D. Power and Associates Airline Customers Satisfaction Index Study, please visit the J.D. Powers & Associates website at http://www.jdpower.com/cc/travel/ratings/airline/Find.jsp.