s of substantiating that study's findings. The paper will also consider the elements and relative successes of programs such as the voluntary airline "Customer First" program as well as the legislative-minded Airline Passenger Bill of Rights. Finally, the paper will consider the quality and service culture of Singapore Airlines (SAR), a non-U.S.-based airline that it consistently rated as the best in the world, to see what American-based airlines could learn from them. It will conclude with a view of the future of airline quality of service in the United States.
Brief Overview of Airline Quality Ratings
The annual Airline Quality Rating (AQR) summary tracks service provided by major US airlines on a month-by-month basis using information from the Transportation Department's database. In 1999, Northwest, Alaska, and Southwest were the only airlines to show improvement in the overall AQR scores. In all, seven of the ten airlines rated posted lower AQR scores in 1999 than in 1998 (Bowen & Headley, 2000). Airlines ranked best to worst in the study were Southwest, Continental, Delta, Northwest, Alaska, US Airways, American, America West, TWA and United (Bowen & Headley, 2000).
The AQR industry average score shows an industry that is declining in quality relative to customer performance criteria. The AQR reports major airlines comparative performance year-by-year using a system of weighted averages and monthly performance data in the areas of on-time arrivals, involuntary denied boardings, mishandled baggage and a combination of 11 customer complaint categories. Comparative AQR data for 1998 are included to provide historical perspective regarding performance quality in the industry (Bowen & Headley, 2000). The AQR was developed and first announced in early 1991 as an objective method of comparing airline quality on combined multiple performance criteria. The current 2000 report reflects monthly AQR scores for 1999 based on...