Though rising gas prices are making automobile travel less appealing to many Americans, recent studies show that air travel has been the source of even greater ire.

Americans are increasingly unhappy with the airline industry according to the most recent Air Quality Rating, which found a 60-percent increase in consumer complaints since the previous year.

The study, which is based on Transportation Department statistics about major U.S. airlines, found that in every category the quality of service had declined.

With respect to customer satisfaction, only one airline, Mesa Airlines, had improved, the study found, while 15 others had declined. U.S. Airways and Comair both saw their consumer-dissatisfaction rates double.

The news could not come at a worse time for the airline industry. Amid rising fuel costs, safety problems and bankruptcy filings, three carriers shut down last week alone.

Few would argue with the notion that air travel has become an increasingly unpleasant experience. Increased competition and fuel costs have forced airlines to cut corners. Remember the days of actual leg room and bad food — as opposed to no food at all?

But this is not what concerns us the most. No matter how unpleasant a flight is, it still is better than a flight that does not get to its destination.

And that’s why the recent revelations that a number of Southeast Airlines planes continued to fly, despite being seriously overdue for inspections, raises concerns.

Last week, the chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee accused the Federal Aviation Agency of “the most serious lapse in safety ... in the past 23 years” and cited a “culture of coziness” between regulators and airlines.

When the Airline Deregulation Act was passed in 1978, it was thought that diminishing the role of government in the industry would be an effective way to reduce costs.

To some extent, this has worked, as airline prices dropped 30 percent, relative to inflation, during the 20 years after the act’s passage.

But now, we are seeing the negative effects of a deregulated industry that is out of control. Clearly some degree of regulation is in order.

At the very least, the government needs to fulfill its role of ensuring that airlines meet basic safety requirements.