Airlines talk a lot about the customer experience. Whether it's a commitment to care, comfort, or seamless travel, most carriers have a brand promise baked into their identity.
The problem, according to Jeannie Walters and Dr. Alyona Medelyan, is that a lot of those promises fall apart the moment something goes wrong.
In their co-authored report, Experience Is The Promise, Walters and Medelyan used Thematic's AI scoring agent to analyze close to 2,000 App Store reviews across six US airlines, mapping stated brand values against what customers were actually experiencing.
60% of negative reviews pointed to one core issue: customers couldn't get through to support when they needed it most. And when a disruption hit, the inability to reach help compounded the damage significantly.
Delta emerged as the standout performer, not because it avoids operational failure, but because of how it handles it. Walters put it plainly during the conversation:
"Delta is literally leading in a strategy of making sure that when things go wrong, the people, the processes, the tools, the technology, they're designed around that moment."
The data also called out the growing role of digital in the customer experience. App crashes alone accounted for 9.5% of Breeze Airways' negative Ease score, a reminder that for many customers today, the app is the frontline.
For CX and contact center leaders looking for a practical takeaway, Walters pointed to scenario planning: map the moments most likely to go wrong, stress-test your channels, and build recovery into the operation before a crisis forces your hand.
