Some travel activity has picked back up from its Covid-induced standstill, and U.S. airports have struggled amid the resurgent demand to provide the services and experiences travelers expect, according to J.D. Power's latest annual North America Airport Satisfaction Study.
Based on more than 13,200 surveys conducted between August 2020 and July 2021 of U.S. and Canadian residents who traveled through at least one U.S. or Canadian airport for arrival or departure during the preceding 30 days, the study found that overall satisfaction levels peaked during the second half of 2020, when travel volume remained significantly depressed amid the Covid-19 pandemic. But as activity resumed beginning in spring 2021, satisfaction scores declined significantly.
Respondents were particularly dissatisfied with the lack of food and beverage options available as many airports—especially smaller and regional airports—struggled with labor shortages and restaurant closures, the study found.
The frustration with fewer airport food and beverage options reflects that travelers have resumed their pre-Covid expectations and demands as the pandemic has faded into the background, noted Michael Taylor, travel intelligence lead for J.D. Power.
“Ultimately, the data conveys changing expectations among travelers," said Taylor in a statement. "Early in the pandemic, passengers were satisfied with any shop or restaurant being open, but they now expect full service at the airport.”
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Construction and renovation were other factors that significantly dragged satisfaction scores for some airports. However, while such projects can cause short-term disruption and inconvenience for travelers, they ultimately result in improvements that typically lead to significantly higher satisfaction scores once completed, J.D. Power noted
The airport study measured traveler satisfaction across six separate factors: terminal facilities, airport arrival/departure, baggage claim, security check, check-in/baggage check, and food, beverage and retail.
Airports were divided into three categories, depending on the number of annual passengers handled.
Among airports with more than 33 million annual passengers, dubbed the Mega category, Miami International Airport scored highest, followed by JFK International Airport and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport ranked highest among the Large category —those with 10 million to 33 million annual passengers—followed by Tampa International Airport and Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
Individual airports in the Medium category were not ranked this year due to reduced passenger volumes, J.D. Power said.