With fewest canceled flights, Delta wins best airline title

CNN ^ | 8/8/14

[SoFloFreeper]

Delta is the best airline in the U.S., that is, if you are looking for fewer canceled flights or mishandled bags and on-time arrivals. "Of course, we don't have a measurement for the widths of flight attendants' smiles or other intangibles, but if you look at the numbers, Delta comes out on top this year," said George Hobica, founder and president of Airfarewatchdog, which puts together the annual list.

[twister881]

Driving
Every
Loyal
Traveler
Away

Was a high-mileage Delta flyer for 20+ years until the airline made a bean counter its CEO, and it started taking away perks from its most loyal customers. Also, crappiest seating in the industry.

[jaydee770]

I’d say I’m a middling business traveller who flies about 35 to 40 weeks a year. I’m based in ATL, but don’t fly Delta simply because everyone else does. No matter how many miles I have, there’s always a crowd ahead of me with 10x more.

So, I fly us airways, AirTran, southwest - whoever has the best scheduke for the gig I’m on. And to be honest, I can’t tell much difference between any of them when it comes to service, being on-time, cancellations, bag handling, etc.

In almost every instance, a cancellation or delay has been weather related with darned few mechanical reasons. And, when the weather isn’t perfect, the delay isn’t because the pilots & planes can’t fly / it’s because the ground crew union rules won’t let the ramp goobers out if there is lightning within so many miles of the airport. That shuts ATL down tight and *nothing* moves. The ripple effect from a ground stop in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas etc impacts the entire nation in short order.

Even with all that, the experience would be orders of magnitude better if you removed the TSA (theatrics, sluggishness, apathy).

[Peter W. Kessler]

Thankfully, I don’t fly for business, but I don’t consider a vacation a vacation unless I have to fly to get there.

I’m old enough to remember when vacation started at the airport. It was a cool place to be. Family and friends could see us off at the gate. The plane was modern, clean, and somewhat spacious. If we couldn’t book “smoking” seats, we could walk back to the smoking section when the light went off.

Flight attendants were friendly; most had a pretty good sense of humor, and the food was... tolerable.

Today, the airport is a gauntlet through which we must pass in order to board the plane which, usually, is filthy, worn out, cramped, etc.

Flight attendants are direct descendants of concentration camp guards, and the food is only marginally better than that served at the above mentioned camp.

Passengers aren’t much better. They’re rude, loud, obnoxious, and very demanding of things that no longer exist.

Flying is just something that must be endured before the fun begins.

It’s sad.

[Tzfat]

There are good airlines, and there are bad airlines. Reading the comments here, it is odd that otherwise smart people use their own anecdotal experiences to negate a scientific survey. There is no question: Delta is a very good airline - and I work for a competitor.

[polymuser]

Southwest whenever I can, Delta if I have to, anyone else if unavoidable.

[livius]

I love Delta - and I fly a lot. The staff is generally pleasant and helpful, things work, and you and your luggage get where you’re going. Also I think the emergency exit videos are funny.

[DoodleDawg]

That’s like coming in last in an Ugly Guy Contest. You kind of won but it isn’t saying much.

[ThunderSleeps]

Ditto. Recently had a family emergency back east. Made hasty plans for a quick trip, then had to change them. Delta rep very sympathetic, did all the rebooking - no charge.

I still don't like to fly, don't like the process, don't like surrendering freedoms etc. I will (and have) drive all day rather than fly. But when I do, Delta is one of the better of a bad field.

[Pecos]

This past week, I had a two-legged trip from D.C. to New Orleans. The first plane was late in taking off from D.C. due to mechanical problems. The second flight was not only late, but we had to go back to the gate and switch planes due to a mechanical fault. We ended up taking off three hours late. Just my two cents.

[Blueflag]

I admit to being a pampered Delta multi-million miler special person.

Most every flight is a good experience. Never lost a bag, and I have been a frequent flier with them since 1983.

[ExNewsExSpook]

Call it the “best of the worst” award. With consolidation, the “big three” U.S. airlines are essentially the same and offer mediocre service on their best days.

I was on Delta three times in the past two weeks and was unimpressed. I did get upgrades to first class on two flights, but on short hops (less than 90 minutes), you don’t gain much by sitting in the first class section, except more leg room.

Really hoping the recently re-launched “People Express” can make a go of it. They’re trying to fill some of the markets previously served by AirTran (and abandoned by Southwest after their merger). Strictly no frills, but their fares are way below what the big three are charging. My wife and I paid almost $900 for two coach tickets from Virginia to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and we booked three weeks in advance. People Express will start service from Virginia to New Orleans later this month, with base fares of $124. Even with bag fees and other incidentals, we could have flown to the same area for about 1/3 of what we paid on Delta.

[Mase]

If Delta is the best of the airlines in this country, then the US airline industry has sunk to a new low, and I didn’t think that was possible. I fly SWA most of the time now, but SWA exists to prove that there are a lot of people out there who shouldn’t fly.

[peter the great]

Just wondering if did you explain the circumstances to the folks at United? And what about Delta?

[pgkdan]

Yes. I explained the situation both times.