Airline Passenger Complaints

According to a 2,000 person poll by websiteairfarewatchdog.com, 52% of the poll's respondents say the thing they hate most about the airlines is the fee some charge to pick their seats. A few U.S. airlines currently charge customers for picking any seat on a flight. Assigning a seat, which can be done online for virtually no transaction cost to the airline. It's simply a way to generate revenue and not to cover a tangible expense. I think passengers realize this and that's why they're so annoyed by it. Paying for meals and even checking in bags involve some extra expense for airlines, but choosing a seat does not.

Air travel ceased be fun a long time ago and I think, in the U.S. market at least, that most travels are irritated by the travel process that government regulations have imposed, as compare to irritation with individual airlines themselves. Passengers are aware that flight delays, cancellations, idiotic and un necessary security checks etc.. are more the fault of government rules than airline policy.

But the airlines attempts to stay solvent with nickel and dime fees is driving many passengers to have negative feelings towards those airlines that impose the most fees on fliers. This can be seen in the view passengers have toward Southwest Airline. It is almost wholly favorable and probably more the result of a fee less extras policy and an efficiency that others do not display. A recent TIA (Travel Industry Association) survey said that 39% of all airline travelers feel their time is not respected when flying and that 33% of all air passengers are dissatisfied with the air travel system as a whole. 78% believe the system is broken and 62% that it is deteriorating.

With most airlines losing money rapidly this is not good news for them. But they have the power to make flying more pleasant, and the one that makes the best and most successful attempt to do that should be among the more profitable. But some things are beyond their control. Security (my biggest annoyance when flying) rules and procedures are imposed by the government and not changeable. Yet, the consumers understand that and do not expect the airlines to act on those. It's the other trivial and/or hidden fees that make passengers angry. Enforcing the carry-on baggage policy limits, providing more leg room...that sort of thing airlines have control over and are blamed for when they become issues.

I think as the profitability ratio improves the airlines will become more user friendly, but until then I'll have to sit next to the man with 4 carry-ons crammed under the seat and impeding my leg room so I can't kick that screaming baby that is crying on the lap of the mom who refuses to attend to him