NORTH AMERICA. North American airports have achieved a record high in overall passenger satisfaction, according to a study by global marketing information services company J.D. Power.
J. D. Power noted that the rise was particularly significant in the light of the potentially disruptive effects of record passenger volumes and major construction projects. Food & beverage and retail were among the main factors driving the improvement, added the company.
The 2018 North America Airport Satisfaction Study shows improvements in five areas: check-in; food, beverage and retail; accessibility; terminal facilities; and baggage claim. These factors helped drive overall passenger satisfaction to 761 on a 1,000-point scale, 12 points higher than last year.
In the mega airport category*, Las Vegas McCarran International Airport and Orlando International Airport ranked joint highest in passenger satisfaction, with Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport third and Denver International Airport fourth.
John Wayne Airport, Orange County came out on top among large airports, with Dallas Love Field second and Portland International Airport third.
Among medium airports, Buffalo Niagara International Airport achieved the highest satisfaction rating, Indianapolis International Airport second and Fort Myers/Southwest Florida Airport third.
J.D. Power Travel Practice Lead Michael Taylor said: “North America airports have been doing a tremendous job managing passenger volume, adding amenities, and keeping travellers moving despite some noteworthy challenges, but they will be put to the true test over the next few years.
“Several multi-billion-dollar airport construction projects – such as those in Boston, Los Angeles and Chicago – are reaching phases in which passenger disruption and increased traffic will be incredibly hard to avoid. How well these rapidly expanding airports manage throughout these infrastructure projects will provide valuable insight into what’s in store on a nationwide basis.”
Customer satisfaction’s record score was driven primarily by a 17-point increase in satisfaction with food, beverage and retail, and an 18-point increase in satisfaction with security check.
Now in its 13th year, the study was based on responses from 40,183 travellers. J.D. Power, based in Costa Mesa California, is a provider of consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics.
*Note: J.D. Power broke North American airports into three categories. “Mega” airports were defined as those handling more than 32.5 million annual passengers. The “large” category included airports with 10 million to 32.4 million passengers, while the “medium” category looked at airports with between 3 million and 9.9 million passengers.
