Airline quality survey results

This week's Airline Quality Rating survey gives budget travelers some pleasant reassurance, with low-cost carriers such as JetBlue, AirTran, and Southwest topping the service lists.

Here's the list of the mid-year winners and losers:

The Best Airlines

Most On-Time Arrivals: Hawaiian Airlines

Fewest Denied Boardings: JetBlue

Fewest Mishandled Bags: AirTran

Fewest Customer Complaints: Southwest Airlines

The Worst Airlines

Fewest On-Time Arrivals: American Airlines

Most Denied Boardings: Atlantic Southeast Airlines

Most Mishandled Bags: American Eagle

Most Costumer Complaints: United Airlines

The results above are from the first six months of 2008, the most recent data available in 15 categories from the U.S. Transportation Department.

Researchers found that overall airline performance continued on a five-year downward trend in passenger care. But year over year, the nation's major airlines improved in on-time arrivals, as well as the rates of denied boardings and customer complaints.