Major airlines are doing a better job of satisfying their passengers this year, according to a report released by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). At 67 (on a scale of zero to 100), customer satisfaction with the airline industry matches its best level in a decade, but there is plenty of room for improvement. Despite gaining 3.1 percent for 2012, airlines remain in the bottom three among 47 ACSI industries, along with subscription TV service (66) and the fast-fading newspaper industry (64).

“High ticket prices, growing fees, and poor service are not a formula for strong customer satisfaction in the airline industry,” says Claes Fornell, ACSI founder and author of the book, The Satisfied Customer: Winners and Losers in the Battle for Buyer Preference (Palgrave Macmillan, 2008). “The industry is doing a better job of serving business travelers, as witnessed by the rise in their overall customer satisfaction—from 61 last year to 66 in 2012—but leisure travelers remain far more satisfied with a score of 71.”

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