Airline rankings occur pretty frequently from many sources and no matter what the results, many flyers still wind up choosing their airline based on price. On report in North America shows that price may be part the equation, but fees also seem to play a big part in the perception of good versus poor service.

A study by J.D. Power and Associates, a global marketing information services company, shows that airline customer satisfaction in North America increased for a second consecutive year, but those ancillary fees that airlines like to charge are still a sore point with customers. The study ranked both low-cost and traditional network carriers and found a recurring theme. Airlines that charged the fewest fees ranked the highest in customer satisfaction. According to the report, both low-cost and traditional network airlines increased their customer satisfaction results from 2010 in all customer experience areas but two – cost and fees. Only Air Canada and Southwest Airlines increased their customer satisfaction numbers in those areas.

While just about every airline has increased its fares and fees as a result of higher fuel costs, there is one clear distinction that resonates with passengers, and that is the type of charges the airlines hit them with. Flyers clearly understand the need to raise fares when costs such as fuel rise so high. They may not like it, but fare hikes seem to be far more palatable than fees for things that many feel are part of natural order of traveling by air, like checking a bag. That explains why Air Canada and Southwest managed to rank higher than their counterparts among customers despite increasing fares like the rest of them. The two don't charge for a first (and in the case of Southwest, a second) checked bag.

Checked baggage fees have netted the industry billions of dollars in additional revenue and airlines that do not charge for them feel the pressure every day to join the bag fee bandwagon. JetBlue Airways and Alaska Airlines also ranked high in overall customer satisfaction. The former doesn't charge for a first checked bag and the latter does, but offers a guarantee of baggage delivery within 20 minutes of arrival. Alaska Airlines customers receive a discount voucher toward a future flight or bonus miles if their bags are not delivered as promised.

According to J.D. Power and Associates, the study measured overall customer satisfaction based on performance in seven measures (in order of importance): cost and fees; in-flight services; flight crew; aircraft; boarding/deplaning/baggage; check-in; and reservation. While the airlines with the fewest fees seem to have fared best, all airlines can take courage in one key satisfactory result. Passengers love technology. Over the years, airlines have invested in more technology and self-serve options for their passengers and those efforts are paying off. According to the survey, in 2011, passengers of both low-cost and traditional network carriers express the highest levels of satisfaction with the check-in and reservation processes since 2006.

View the full rankings here.