Hotels, Airlines at Opposite Ends of Satisfaction Scale: Hotels Highest, Airlines Lowest in 4 Years

Market Metrix, LLC, the leading provider of customer and employee feedback and performance tools for the hospitality industry, today announced results of the Market Metrix Hospitality Index(TM) (MMHI) for the first quarter of 2007. While hotel guest satisfaction climbed to near record levels, airline passenger satisfaction tumbled to its lowest level in years. Rental car scores were stable.

Overall, Walt Disney World Resorts, JetBlue Airways and Enterprise Rent-a-Car ranked number one in hotel, airline and rental car industry customer satisfaction, respectively.

Satisfaction for the hotel industry reached its highest level in 3 years. According to Dr. Jonathan Barsky, who directs research activities at Market Metrix, "Strong RevPar growth for the first three months of 2007 and investments in staffing, services and amenities, made a positive impact on the guest experience in all hotel segments except Luxury, where satisfaction slumped to its lowest level in years." Upscale hotels saw the biggest improvement with Crowne Plaza up nearly 5 points compared to the last quarter of 2006.

Airline passenger satisfaction dropped to its lowest level in 4 years with JetBlue Airways and Midwest Airlines showing the biggest declines. Scores for Loyalty Emotions(TM) (e.g., feeling welcome) among airline passengers also reached near-record lows. Loyalty Emotions(TM) evaluate critical elements of a passenger's emotional experience and are fundamental components of customer satisfaction and loyalty.

According to Dr. Barsky, "The drop in passenger satisfaction reveals unprecedented angst among passengers which has been caused, in part, by disenchanted employees, increasing fuel costs, bankruptcy, and new record levels of lost, delayed, and damaged luggage."

        Market Metrix Hospitality Index 2007 Winners (1st Quarter YTD)



  WINNER                                    SEGMENT



  Hotels

  Ritz-Carlton                         88.3 Luxury

  Walt Disney World Resorts            89.9 Upper Upscale

  Homewood Suites                      88.7 Upscale

  Holiday Inn Select                   81.5 Midscale w/F&B

  Hampton Inns & Suites                85.7 Midscale w/o F&B

  Microtel Inns & Suites               83.5 Economy



  Casinos

  Bellagio                             91.5 Upscale Casino

  Rio                                  87.0 Casino



  Web Sites

  W Hotels                             86.0 Hotel Brand Web Site

  Hotwire.com                          76.8 Hotel Travel Web Site



  Airlines

  JetBlue                              85.9 AIRLINE



  Car Rentals

  Enterprise                           84.1 CAR RENTAL



  Timeshare Accommodations

  Disney Vacation Club                 91.1 Timeshare Accommodations

About MMHI

Based on 35,000 customer interviews conducted each quarter, the Market Metrix Hospitality Index(TM) is the largest and most in-depth measure of hospitality company performance available today. These benchmarks, delivered through Customer Metrix(TM), enable Market Metrix clients to compare their results to local competitors by zip code, city, state, region, country, and brand. The MMHI is also available by subscription.

Logos, product and company names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

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