The results of the 18th annual national Airline Quality Rating (AQR) will be announced at 9:30 a.m. EDT, Monday, April 7, at a news conference in Washington, D.C.

The AQR, the most comprehensive study of the performance and quality of the 16 largest airlines in the United States, each year helps sort out the difference in airline performance for the business community, the media and the general public.

The rating is conducted annually by researchers at the W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University (WSU) and the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) Aviation Institute.

The rating is a multifactor look at the overall performance quality of the airlines based on elements such as on-time, denied boardings, mishandled baggage and customer complaints. It is the only rating to include multiple criteria by which airline performance is measured in a quantitative and unbiased manner.

The new findings cover the 2007 calendar year. The following airlines, listed in alphabetical order, are rated: AirTran, Alaska, American, American Eagle, Atlantic Southeast, Comair, Continental, Delta, Frontier, Jet Blue, Mesa, Northwest, SkyWest, Southwest, United and US Airways.

Low-fare carriers have been the top-rated airlines in recent years.

The researchers also will address the following issues:

— How bad was 2007, really?

— What’s next as the airlines and nation face tough economic times?

— Possible airline mergers

— Impact of open skies agreement

— Update on the airline passenger bill of rights