J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Alaska Airlines and JetBlue Airways Rank Highest...

J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Alaska Airlines and JetBlue Airways Rank
Highest in Customer Satisfaction With Airlines in Their Respective Segments

Tough Economic Conditions Lead to Decline in Satisfaction, Although Airline
Timeliness Improves

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Airlines ranks
highest in customer satisfaction among traditional network carriers, while
JetBlue Airways ranks highest among low-cost carriers, according to the J.D.
Power and Associates 2009 North America Airline Satisfaction Study(SM)
released today.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050527/LAF028LOGO-a)

The study measures overall customer satisfaction based on performance in seven
measures (in order of importance): cost and fees; flight crew; in-flight
services; aircraft; boarding/deplaning/baggage; check-in; and reservation.
Carriers are ranked in two segments: traditional network and low-cost.
Traditional network carriers are defined as airlines that operate multicabin
aircraft and use multiple airport hubs, while low-cost carriers are defined as
airlines that operate single-cabin aircraft with typically lower fares.

Traditional Network Carrier Rankings
Alaska Airlines ranks highest in the traditional network carrier segment for a
second consecutive year, and performs particularly well in five of seven
measures: flight crew; aircraft; boarding/deplaning/baggage; check-in; and
reservation. Continental Airlines and Delta Airlines, respectively, follow
Alaska Airlines in the rankings. Continental Airlines performs particularly
well in the in-flight services and cost and fees measures.

"Alaska Airlines has made notable improvements in the courtesy and knowledge
of its check-in staff from 2008," said Dale Haines, senior director of the
travel practice at J.D. Power and Associates.

Low-Cost Carrier Rankings
For a fourth consecutive year, JetBlue Airways ranks highest in the low-cost
carrier segment. JetBlue Airways performs particularly well in two of seven
measures: aircraft and in-flight services.

Following JetBlue in the segment rankings are Southwest Airlines and WestJet,
in a tie. Southwest Airlines performs particularly well in the cost and fees
and reservation measures. In addition, Southwest Airlines is the only airline
in the 2009 study to demonstrate overall improvement from 2008, with the most
notable increases occurring in the reservations, check-in and
boarding/deplaning/baggage measures.

WestJet, included in the study for the first time in 2009, performs well in
the boarding/deplaning/baggage; check-in; and flight crew measures.

"It is particularly impressive that JetBlue has ranked highest in the highly
competitive low-cost carrier segment for four consecutive years," said Haines.
"However, competition in the low-cost carrier segment is heating up, with
Southwest Airlines and WestJet closing the gap with JetBlue."

Additional Airline Industry Findings
The study finds that overall customer satisfaction with airlines in 2009 has
declined for a third consecutive year to a four-year low. The decline is
driven by decreased passenger satisfaction with in-flight services, flight
crew and costs and fees, compared with 2008.

Despite the overall decline in satisfaction, the study finds that the
customer-reported length of flight delays decreased by eight minutes in 2009
from 72 minutes in 2008. Among passengers who visit an airline's main counter
to obtain their boarding pass or check baggage, average wait times have
decreased to 12 minutes in 2009 from 14 minutes in 2008.

In addition, on-time arrival rates have improved from 2008. According to
Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), the overall rate of on-time
arrivals has improved by more than five percentage points from 2008 to 78
percent in 2009. Analysis of BTS data by J.D. Power and Associates indicates
that 70 percent of this improvement comes directly from improved performance
in areas within airlines' control, rather than conditions related to weather,
air traffic control or security concerns.

"Despite the economic stresses that airlines are under, they are recognizing
the value of passengers' time and trying to make air travel more expedient and
efficient," said Haines. "Unfortunately, any improvements in customer
satisfaction are being offset by passenger displeasure with cutbacks on
in-flight services, increases in fees and issues with the helpfulness and
courtesy of flight crews."

The 2009 North America Airline Satisfaction Study measures customer
satisfaction of both business and leisure travelers with major North American
carriers. The study is based on responses from more than 12,900 passengers who
flew on a major North American airline between April 2008 and May 2009. The
study was fielded between May 2008 and May 2009.

For more information, read an article or review airline ratings at
JDPower.com.

Traditional Network Carrier Segment
Customer Satisfaction Index Ranking J.D. Power.com Power Circle Ratings
(Based on a 1,000-point scale) For Consumers

Alaska Airlines 671 5
Continental Airlines 669 5

Delta Air Lines 641 4

Traditional Network Carrier
Segment Average 626 3
Air Canada 623 3
American Airlines 618 3
Northwest Airlines 614 3

United Airlines 604 2
US Airways 599 2

Low-Cost Carrier Segment
Customer Satisfaction Index Ranking J.D. Power.com Power Circle Ratings
(Based on a 1,000-point scale) For Consumers

JetBlue Airways 750 5

Southwest Airlines 736 4
WestJet 736 4

Low-Cost Carrier Segment
Average 726 3

Frontier Airlines 692 2
AirTran Airways 687 2

Power Circle Ratings Legend:
5 - Among the best
4 - Better than most
3 - About average
2 - The rest

About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a
global marketing information services company operating in key business
sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, Web
intelligence and customer satisfaction. The company's quality and
satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers
annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance,
health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D.
Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies
Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a leading global
information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial
services, education and business information markets through leading brands
such as Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power
and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries.
Sales in 2008 were $6.4 billion. Additional information is available at
http://www.mcgraw-hill.com.

Media Relations Contacts:
Jeff Perlman, Brandware Public Relations, Malibu, Calif., (818) 317-3070;
jperlman@brandwaregroup.com
John Tews; Troy, Mich.; (248) 312-4119; media.relations@jdpa.com

No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the information in this
release without the express prior written consent of J.D. Power and
Associates. www.jdpower.com/corporate

SOURCE J.D. Power and Associates

Jeff Perlman, Public Relations of Brandware, +1-818-317-3070,
jperlman@brandwaregroup.com; or John Tews of J.D. Power and Associates,
+1-248-312-4119, media.relations@jdpa.com