The best and worst airlines of 2012

Researchers Brent D. Bowen of Purdue University and Dean E. Headley of Wichita State University compile an annual list of airline quality ratings based on measures such as on-time arrivals, mishandled baggage, oversales and customer service. Here are their findings for 2012, based on data from 2011.

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15. American Eagle

Despite an improved score from last year, American Eagle fared the worst of all the airlines tracked. Its mishandled baggage rate was the highest in the industry.

Stephan Savoia / AP

14. Mesa Airlines

Mesa Airlines had an on-time performance percentage of 83.7 percent in 2011, an improvement from the previous year. But it fared worse when it came to mishandled bags and customer complaints.

/ AP

13. Atlantic Southeast Airlines

Atlantic Southeast improved its score and ranking this year, jumping from 15th to 13th on the list.

Chris Rank / Bloomberg News

12. United Airlines

United had a customer complaint rate of 2.21 per 100,000 passengers, a figure that far exceeds the rate of complaints to its competitors.

Eric Risberg / AP

11. Continental Airlines

Continental Airlines slipped from 8th to 11th on the ranking this year.

David J. Phillip / AP

10. American Airlines

American Airlines had a lower rate of on-time arrivals but did better this year than last when it came to mishandled bags.

Tony Gutierrez / AP

9. SkyWest Airlines

SkyWest had an improved mishandled baggage rate this year but slipped when it came to customer complaints.

Stephen Hilger / Bloomberg News

8. US Airways

US Airways fared worse in three of the four areas measured this year compared with its performance in 2010. The airline's on-time performance percentage was 79.8 percent in 2011.

Elise Amendola / AP

7. Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines has the lowest rate of customer complaints in the industry.

Ted S. Warren / AP

6. Delta Air Lines

Delta improved an all of the four criteria measured in the study. It made the second-largest leap up the rankings this year compared with last year.

Chris O'Meara / AP

5. Alaska Airlines

Despite improving its overall score, Alaska Airlines fell from fourth to fifth in this year's ranking. The airline had an on-time performance percentage of 88.2 percent in 2011.

David Zalubowski / AP

4. Frontier Airlines

After coming in ninth last year, Frontier had the biggest jump up the list of any airline in the study. The airline had an on-time performance percentage of 79.2 percent in 2011.

Damian Dovarganes / AP

3. JetBlue Airways

JetBlue had an on-time performance percentage of 73.3 percent in 2011, the worst of all airlines measured in the study. However, it still ranks third overall thanks to its strong denied boarding performance and low customer complaints.

Reed Saxon / AP

2. Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines has come in first or second on the list every year since 2008. Its customer complaint rate dropped significantly in 2011, even though its mishandled baggage rate was worse.

Sandy Huffaker / Bloomberg News

1. AirTran Airways

AirTran topped the list for the second straight year. Its on-time performance was up to 84 percent in 2011 and it had the lowest mishandled baggage rate of any of the airlines.

Chris Rank / Bloomberg News

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