S.A. airport ranks higher in new survey
But J.D. Power study still labels facility below average
Traveler satisfaction with San Antonio International Airport has risen slightly but remains below average for other airports of its size, the results of a J.D. Power survey released Wednesday show. The San Antonio airport ranked 14 out of 21 airports in a category that includes airfields in Albuquerque, Sacramento and Jacksonville, according to J.D. Power’s 2018 North America Airport Satisfaction Study. Travelers gave Buffalo Niagara International Airport in New York the highest marks among medium-sized airports, the study shows. J.D. Power surveyed more than 40,000 travelers who stopped at a domestic airport within the last three months, focusing on six categories: terminal facilities; check-in and baggage check; airport accessibility; security check; food, beverage and retail options; and baggage claim. Overall customer satisfaction at U.S. airports hit an all-time high of 761 points out of 1,000, according to the 2018 survey, largely driven by increased satisfaction with the security check process and airports’ food and retail offerings. San Antonio International Airport’s ratings were below average, but improved year-overyear primarily because of finished construction on its new 1,200-space short-term parking garage, which translated into higher ratings for airport accessibility and check-in, said Michael Taylor, travel practice lead at J.D. Power. The airport also got higher markers for its baggage claim area, Taylor said. But J.D. Power’s medium-sized airport category tends to be more competitive because terminals are typically less crowded and less stressful to navigate, which begets higher satisfaction ratings, Taylor said. “They’re doing all the right things,” Taylor said of San Antonio International. Airport spokesman Rich Stin-
son noted that, among other accolades, San Antonio International recently placed third in Airports Council International’s Airport Service Quality Awards in a category for airports in North America with more than 2 million passengers per year. “Our efforts over the past year — arts and music, park assist, innovative technology enhancements, way finding signage, improved parking, and other customer experience enhancements — seem to be having a positive impact based on our increased ranking,” Stinson said. San Antonio International tied with Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Dallas Love Field and six other airports for that prize in 2017, according to the council’s website. San Antonio International racked up 785 points for traveler satisfaction in the J.D. Power survey, higher than the market research company’s overall average but below the average rating for airports of its size. The San Antonio airfield also received three of the company’s “Power Circles” for consumers, indicating that the airport is “about average.” Last year, San Antonio International ranked 18 out 22 medium-sized airports for customer satisfaction but still got higher marks than J.D. Power’s national average. San Antonio International has been aggressively adding new flights and seen a surge in passenger traffic to the airfield. The airport has added 33 flights since 2016. City aviation officials say the airport is on track to exceed 10 million passengers this year after setting a record of more than 9 million in 2017. Last month, the San Antonio Airport System launched a major review to assess the region’s growing air travel needs over the next five decades — running parallel to Mayor Ron Nirenberg’s Airport System Development Committee, which he announced in October.