By EMMA L. CAREW, Star Tribune
Last update: May 20, 2008 - 2:55 PM
Minneapolis-St. Paul International ranked dead last in customer satisfaction, according to a J.D. Power and Associates survey released today.
The survey ranked airports on six factors including check-in and baggage claim facilities and food offerings. MSP received a score of 647 on a 1,000-point scale, the lowest among the 60 airports studied.
Metropolitan Airports Commission spokesman Patrick Hogan said MSP's low rankings came as a surprise.
"These rankings are not consistent with the kind of survey feedback we get from other organizations or from surveys we conduct ourselves," he said.
Among large airports, MSP was compared to 18 other airports that each serve over 30 million passengers annually. Each category was rated on a five-point scale, with MSP receiving the lowest marks across the board.
Hogan said he thinks weather-related delays and last summer's runway closure may have contributed to the airport's low score, depending on when the survey was administered.
In other surveys, Hogan said MSP usually ranks high in retail and concessions, as well as security lines. MSP has six security check-points in the main lobby, compared to other airports, which have only one or two.
Rising costs and declining services from airlines may also be a contributing factor, Hogan said, though he declined to pinpoint specific issues with the airport's dominant carrier, Northwest Airlines.
"It has a ripple effect on airports," he said, "if travelers aren't happy with their flight."
As more and more customers look online for cheaper ticket prices, airlines are forced to cut back on services, he said.
Among large airports, those in Philadelphia, Las Vegas and Orlando were the three highest scorers, with a five-out-of-five rating for overall satisfaction.
More than 21,165 passengers who flew round-trip between April 2007 and March 2008 were surveyed and given the option to evaluate up to three airports, resulting in more than 36,500 total responses.
Emma L. Carew • 612-673-7405
