If you're planning on traveling by air anytime soon, brace yourself.

You could be in for a bumpy trip. ...

The Airline Quality Rating showed a decrease in on-time arrivals and increases in customer complaints, baggage problems and the number of passengers bumped from overbooked flights.

In fact, the industry slumped last year in every area examined as part of the rating. Worse yet, one of the study's co-authors said it didn't appear the situation had bottomed out. ...

The problems stem largely from high fuel costs, which have prompted major airlines to cut jobs and scale back on passenger services and amenities. In tandem, airlines are charging more and saddling passengers with extra fees.

That combination is driving complaints skyward. But the problems go beyond gripes and groans. The study's authors say the commercial airline system has grown so dysfunctional that it's not unusual for passengers to face delays measured in days instead of hours.

Just ask one of the thousands of passengers who were stranded this week when hundreds of American Airlines flights were canceled when the carrier's fleet of MD-80 jets was grounded for inspection. ...

High demand continues to place stress on the overloaded system. More than a quarter of flights arrived late as on-time arrivals fell for a fifth consecutive year. ...

On the more positive side for air travelers, the three top-ranked airlines for 2007 were all low-cost carriers -- AirTran, JetBlue and Southwest. So the glimmer of hope is that relatively affordable, relatively reliable service can still be found.

Overall, it's hard to see how airlines will be able to improve service, reliability and convenience without substantially raising their prices.

Paying more is never a good thought. But neither is arriving late, being stuck for days or facing long, slow-moving lines for overbooked flights.

-- The Topeka Capital-Journal