Discount carriers Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines, once poised to merge, have both enhanced their customer offerings. However, they continue to occupy the lower ranks in the latest annual customer satisfaction survey conducted by CFI Group. Despite registering significant improvement, South Florida-based Spirit Airlines finished last in the 2023-24 American Customer Satisfaction Index Travel Study. The study evaluated not only major airlines but also hotels, car rental companies, and travel service providers. The industry as a whole has witnessed improvements in customer perception, with many travelers eager to resume travel despite economic challenges. The survey assessed airlines across various service metrics, including baggage handling, boarding efficiency, call center responsiveness, aircraft cleanliness, food quality, loyalty programs, mobile app functionality, overhead storage space, seat comfort, and staff performance at airport gates and ticket counters. Notably, the percentage of surveyed individuals reporting complaints declined year-over-year. Forrest Morgeson, an associate professor of marketing at Michigan State University and director of research emeritus at the ACSI, highlighted the industry’s recovery. He attributed the improvements to innovations and service enhancements implemented during the pandemic. The survey, originally founded at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, is now conducted by CFI. Alaska Airlines, which faced an incident involving a door plug blowout during a flight over the Pacific Northwest in January, secured the top spot for the second consecutive year. American Airlines followed closely behind. Among the discount airlines, Allegiant, Frontier, and Spirit made the most significant gains in the survey. A CFI spokesperson attributed this to their enhanced value propositions. The spokesperson further noted that while legacy carriers have introduced additional fees for seat selection and baggage, customers may perceive greater value from budget airlines. Despite the improvements, only Allegiant avoided the bottom tier of the industry, ranking third. Allegiant was succeeded by Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, United Airlines, and Spirit Airlines. Notably, Spirit did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The airline is navigating a period of challenges following unsuccessful merger attempts and a manufacturing recall that has grounded a portion of its fleet. Spirit’s CEO, Ted Christie, expressed the company’s commitment to improving customer relations. He acknowledged feedback received from customers and the market and promised to communicate the company’s future plans. Prior to the pandemic, Spirit Airlines had already taken steps to enhance its offerings, including fleet upgrades, increased legroom seating, and technology improvements to improve flight schedule reliability. The airline has also performed well in recent U.S. Department of Transportation on-time performance scorecards.
Spirit and Frontier Airlines Improve Customer Service, But Remain At Bottom of Satisfaction Survey
