Friends and fellow travelers, we all know the pain and misery that can come from traveling by air. The airlines know it too, and generally do their best to create an environment and experience that transcends it. But we’re fickle, demanding consumers. We want it all, but we don’t want to pay for it. Balancing our demands and running a successful airline constitute the juggling act these massive companies must perform in order to stay afloat. And lets face it, some do it better than others.

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JD Power and Associates has recently released their 2012 North America Airline Satisfaction Study, and the results are…satisfactory. Airlines are rated on 1000 point scale and it seems overall satisfaction rates were down slightly from last year.

“The airline industry is caught between trying to satisfy customers who demand low prices, high-quality service and comfort, and contending with the economic challenges of profitably operating an airline,” said Stuart Greif, vice president and general manager of the global travel and hospitality practice at J.D. Power and Associates. “Carriers often must make decisions for financial reasons that they know will negatively impact passenger satisfaction, and therein lies the conundrum.”

One major sore spot for most passengers has to do with checked baggage fee’s. On average, customers who have to pay additional fee’s for checked luggage rate their satisfaction levels well below those who do not. Both JetBlue and Southwest airlines do not charge passengers for checking their first bag and each received the highest overall customer satisfaction scores. However, airlines who retain the fee’s manage to score overall satisfaction points by focusing on easing passenger hassles and creating a positive in-flight experience.

“Carriers that find innovative ways to provide passengers with greater control, save them time, reduce hassles and make the airline experience more enjoyable and comfortable will reap satisfaction benefits.”

One major change sweeping the industry is the inclusion of mobile boarding passes for check-ins. We’ve discussed utilizing mobile travel apps before, and to back up our claims, the survey found that mobile check-in’s rated higher on the satisfaction scale than any other method.

As we steamroll into the future, it will be interesting to see how these airlines manage to adapt to consumer demands while simultaneously remaining afloat. With no sign of soundproofing a children-only section in the back of the plane in the near future, we remain skeptical that they’re focusing on the right things. Then again, that might just be wishful thinking.

Images: PRBlog