Newark, LaGuardia Airports Are Rated Worst in Passenger Survey

(Bloomberg) -- New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International and New York’s LaGuardia, located in the biggest U.S. aviation market, ranked lowest among airports in a survey of passenger satisfaction.

LaGuardia had the worst score among 66 facilities ranked in the 2010 North America Airport Satisfaction Study released today by market researcher J.D. Power & Associates, with 604 out of 1,000 possible points. Newark was second to last at 609.

The two airports, along with New York’s John F. Kennedy International, handled a combined 106 million passengers in 2008, 18 percent more than Atlanta’s Hartsfield, the world’s busiest airport. The survey rated accessibility, baggage claim, check-in and baggage check, terminal facilities, security check and food and retail services.

“There are things airports can do and move up as well as slip, unfortunately as is the case with all three airports in the New York area,” said Stuart Greif, vice president and general manager of J.D. Power’s global hospitality and travel practice. “All three airports went down in every measure. Whether Newark, LaGuardia or Kennedy, which fared a little better, the challenges are across the board.”

The results are based on responses from more than 12,100 people who took round-trip flights between January and December 2009 and evaluated both arriving and departing airports, according to J.D. Power, a Westlake Village, California-based unit of McGraw-Hill Cos.

Newark also ranked worst among large airports with at least 30 million passengers a year, while LaGuardia was last for medium airports handling 10 million to fewer than 30 million.

Below Average

LaGuardia’s 604 score compared with the 683 average of 20 medium airports and 742 for Kansas City International, which led the category. LaGuardia ranked second highest in the previous J.D. Power survey in 2008.

Newark’s 609 compared with the 665 average for 19 large airports and 705 for Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County, the top score in the category. Kennedy was 15th in the group, at 635. Newark ranked ninth and Kennedy seventh among large airports in the 2008 survey.

Higher ratings influence airport spending, J.D. Power said Passengers with the best airport experience spend an average $20.55 on food and retail purchases, 45 percent more than “disappointed” passengers, Greif said.
Newark ranked last and LaGuardia next to last in on-time arrivals among 31 airports in 2009, the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics said last week. The New Jersey airport was next to last for on-time departures, and LaGuardia was 24th.