Updated at 7:26 a.m., Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Honolulu airport ranked 16th in customer satisfaction
News Release
Travelers to Hawai'i have given the Honolulu International Airport 682 points out of a possible 1,000 in overall passenger satisfaction.The ranking was part of J.D. Power and Associates 2007 North America Airport Satisfaction Study that was released today. The study ranked airports of large (30 million or more passengers per year), medium (10 million to 30 million passengers) and small (10 million passengers and fewer) sizes.
Honolulu's customer satisfaction was ranked 16th in the medium division. Kansas City International, which scored 721, was the top-rated airport in the division, while Dallas/Fort Worth International and Houston Hobby International Airports ranked highest in the large and small divisions, respectively.
The study concluded that air travelers are notably less satisfied with the baggage claim process, as the implementation of new security regulations that limit liquids in carry-on bags has led to a considerable increase in the amount of checked baggage.
Eight factors — assessed through 28 specific questions — are examined to determine overall customer satisfaction (in order of importance): airport accessibility, baggage claim, check-in/baggage check, terminal facilities, security check, food and beverage, retail services, and immigration/customs control.
"Travelers have become more likely to check their bags as they face greater restrictions on what they can bring on board, and that has created an added burden on the baggage claim process," state Jim Gaz, senior director of travel and entertainment at J.D. Power and Associates, in a news release. "Baggage claim has the greatest impact on overall satisfaction, along with airport accessibility. While airports appear to be managing the additional baggage volume at check-in, they have considerable room for improvement in making sure bags are delivered to passengers quickly and efficiently."
Large Airport Ranking
(30 million passengers or more per year)
Overall Airport Satisfaction Index Score
(Based on a 1,000 point scale)
Large Airport Segment Average 689
Kansas City International (MCI) ranks highest among medium-size airports, improving considerably in all eight measures compared with the 2006 study. In particular, MCI improves significantly in security check. Following in the rankings are Sacramento International (SMF) and LaGuardia International (LGA).
"Kansas City International recently contracted with a private security firm to conduct security checks, and succeeded in reducing security screening wait times by three minutes on average," said Gaz. "While it is too early to tell if adopting a private security firm will result in this kind of improvement for other airports, changes in the security process have helped MCI improve customer satisfaction."
Medium Airport Ranking
(10 million to fewer than 30 million passengers per year)
Overall Airport Satisfaction Index Score
(Based on a 1,000 point scale)
Medium Airport Segment Average 688
Included in the study but not ranked due to small sample size is Mexico City Juarez (MEX)
Among small airports, Houston Hobby (HOU) ranks highest for a second consecutive year, with particularly high ratings in security check. Dallas Love Field (DAL), which tied for highest rank in 2006, and San Antonio International (SAT) follow HOU closely in a tie. DAL receives particularly high ratings in baggage claim, while SAT performs well in airport accessibility and check-in/baggage check.
Small Airport Ranking
(fewer than 10 million passengers per year)
Overall Airport Satisfaction Index Score
(Based on a 1,000-point scale)
Small Airport Segment Average 691
The study also finds that wait times are a key determinant of airport customer satisfaction. In particular, satisfaction with security check and baggage claim are strongly impacted by timeliness, with passengers tolerating wait times up to 17 minutes before satisfaction drops to below-average levels. In addition, for every five minutes of wait time in a security screening line, satisfaction drops by an average of 21 index points. For baggage claim, the decrease is approximately 12 index points after every five-minute interval.
"While some waiting is unavoidable in airport travel, several airports have employed innovative methods to reduce wait times and manage customer expectations," said Gaz. "For example, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International manages customer expectations by giving passengers the opportunity to review wait times on its Web site and to sign up for electronic updates. These efforts go a long way in enhancing the experience and changing attitudes of customers who generally find air travel inconvenient and stressful."
The study also finds several other key airport passenger patterns:
The 2007 North America Airport Satisfaction Study is based on responses from more than 10,200 passengers who took a flight between May 2006 and April 2007. Passengers evaluated up to two different airports — their departing and arriving airport — for a total of more than 17,400 evaluations. Visit JDPower.com to view customer satisfaction ratings for airports, airlines, hotels, independent travel Web sites and rental cars.
