Abstract
Does customer service - good or bad - really matter? Customer surveys from Ryanair and Southwest Airline passengers were examined to determine their perceptions on customer service for the period of 2012-2013. Southwest Airlines (n=149) was rated significantly higher than Ryanair (n=165) in overall rating (p=.0228), seat comfort (p<.0001), cabin/staff service (p<.0001), and value (p=.0004). Additionally, passengers would recommend Southwest Airlines at a higher rate than Ryanair (p=.0006). Open area comments emphasized that customer service and policies had a large impact on the ratings. Specifically, 53% of Ryanair customers complained about inefficient or unwelcome processes and discourteous or unfriendly service compared to 29% for Southwest Airlines. Ryanair customers complained about check-in procedures, open seating policy, and fees ranging from oversized carry-on bags to fees for printing out boarding passes. The largest area of complaint for Southwest customers concerned how customers were treated during flight delays.
| Original language | American English |
|---|---|
| State | Published - Sep 28 2018 |
| Externally published | Yes |
| Event | 2018 Annual Collegiate Aviation Conference - Irving Texas Duration: Sep 28 2018 → … |
Conference
| Conference | 2018 Annual Collegiate Aviation Conference |
|---|---|
| Period | 9/28/18 → … |
Keywords
- Ryanair
- Southwest
- customer service
- low-cost airlines
- airline customer complaints
Disciplines
- Business
- Business Administration, Management, and Operations
- Aviation