Tim Leffel’s Cheapest Destinations

U.S. Survey - Our Airlines Suck

OK, the fine people at Zagat aren’t going to say it that bluntly, but that’s the unequivical conclusion of their recent travelers survey. U.S. airlines have reached a low point and, as I always advise people, given a choice you’re better off flying on almost any international carrier when leaving the country (or coming in from elsewhere.)

“Zagat surveyed 5,277 regular travelers and travel professionals about their air travel experiences during the past year. The bottom line: near universal disappointment.”

The survey results make for one of the most entertaining press releases I’ve seen in a long time, though it could have been even funnier it seems. At one point they say, “See the executive summary for a list of comments our lawyers won’t let us print.”

The one bright spot is the airline web sites. Apparently the tech people are the only ones who haven’t been laid off or had a salary cut in the past few years. As one respondent said, “It’s too bad you can’t fly the websites.”

As expected, the only legacy carrier to make the top-10 was Continental. Jet Blue came out on top. For international flights, all the American carriers paled in comparison to the airlines who get it right: Singapore, Emirates Air, and Cathay Pacific. “Among the U.S. airlines, only Continental went up in its ranking, from 27th place to 22nd.” (I’d love to be a fly on the wall at that executive PR meeting when they discuss how to spin that as a positive…)