Survey: Continental is most-improved airline=0ASacramento Business Journal= =0AContinental Airlines Inc. was the most-improved airline in terms of pass= enger satisfaction during=0Athe first quarter, according to data released T= uesday by the University of Michigan.=0AThe university=E2=80=99s American C= ustomer Satisfaction Index showed that so=0Amany passengers gave Continenta= l (NYSE: CAL) a thumbs-up for service=0Athat it raised the Houston airline= =E2=80=99s satisfaction rating by almost 10=0Apercent compared with last ye= ar. With a score of 68, the airline came=0Ain second for passenger satisfac= tion behind Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, which scored 81, a 3 percent i= ncrease over last year.=0AOverall passenger satisfaction with airlines impr= oved for the first=0Atime since 2003, according to the index. The average s= core was up 3.2=0Apercent to 64.=0ADallas-based American Airlines was the o= nly major carrier to experience a drop in passenger satisfaction, falling 3= percent to 60. Chicago-based United Airlines was unchanged in last place w= ith an index of 56.=0AAll four airlines serve Sacramento International Airp= ort, with Southwest handling about 50 percent of passengers.=0AHigh fuel pr= ice volatility, indifferent service, labor problems,=0Acongested airports a= nd financial challenges have plagued the industry=0Afor a long time, and ai= rlines remain one of the lowest-scoring=0Abusinesses in the ACSI, according= to the university.=0AThe index is based on a phone survey of about 25,000 = people during=0Athe first quarter. Respondents rated companies in a variety= of=0Aindustries, including airlines, on various satisfaction topics.=0A=0A= Houston Business Journal <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> If you wish to unsubscribe from the AIRLINE List, please send an E-mail to: "listserv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx". Within the body of the text, only write the following:"SIGNOFF AIRLINE".