New Jersey’s Airport Sucks Too
The Garden State wants to make it difficult for to even get a temporary reprieve from living here, as now Newark Airport officially sucks according to J.D. Power and NJ.com. Newark Liberty International Airport, which finished opening a new $2.7 billion Terminal A in August, still received poor ratings from travelers in the latest J.D Power North America Airport Satisfaction Study.
The airport came in last place in the mega-airport category, the same as it did in 2022's rankings. But Newark airport could see a boost in those ratings from the new terminal in next year's ranking, according to one of the report's authors.
JFK International Airport ranked in the middle of the mega-airport category. JFK Airport scored the fourth highest in the mega-airport category in 2022 but dropped to eleventh place this year.
Philadelphia International Airport ranked last in the large airport category for the second year in a row. A rebuilt LaGuardia Airport ranked in the middle of the large airport category, marking an improvement for the airport once likened to arriving in a third-world country, per J.D. Power.
LaGuardia Airport's wave of new construction was credited by J.D. Power for a rise in its rankings to a 788 score, up from 761 in 2022. The report cited the completion of new buildings and terminals for a "massive jump in passenger satisfaction" moving up from last place.
Newark could see a similar jump in future years, said Michael Taylor, J.D. Power's travel intelligence lead.
While ripple effects from Newark's new Terminal A could "take a little while to manifest in our study, Newark will probably increase in the rankings next year," Taylor said.
The new terminal is now open with improved restaurant and food options, including local North Jersey businesses. Three new airport lounges operated by American, Delta and United Airlines also opened in the new terminal this year.
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport ranked highest in passenger satisfaction among mega airports with a score of 800, followed by Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport with a 796 score in second place. Harry Reid International Airport in Nevada ranked third with a 787 score.
Newark's score was 732, more points than last year's 719, but not enough to rise above its closest competitor, Toronto Pearson Airport's 749.
Newark had a turbulent year for air travel with delays and flight cancellations. During the early summer travel season, Newark and other airports witnessed customer chaos as travelers tried to rebook canceled flights.
Sometimes, travelers unfairly blame airports for problems caused by airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration, Taylor said.
"If the aircraft you're on is not flying, pick up the cocktail napkin," Taylor said of the airlines. "That's who you should swear at."
Newark's busy airspace also leads to delays, he said.
"A lot of the time, it's the FAA," Taylor said. "This is the most complicated airspace and the FAA's job is to prevent planes from colliding and they do a great job."
Airports also get unfairly blamed for baggage issues when that function is controlled by the airlines, Taylor said. Some airlines, notably Alaska and Delta, have improved baggage handling by providing employee incentives to "meet or exceed" customer expectations, he said.
"People think baggage claim is run by the airport, most times it's the airlines' fault," he said.
Port Authority officials have used the $8 billion replacement of LaGuardia Airport's terminals as an example of what's to come at Newark, with future plans to replace Terminal B and build a new AirTrain system as part of a Newark Airport Vision plan. That plan would be a blueprint for the airport's long-term redevelopment over a 40-year period.
An in-person community engagement session on the plan is scheduled for Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Stephen Sampson Senior Center. An online RSVP at the EWR Vision plan website is required.
Traffic around airports like Newark can also affect customer satisfaction scores, Taylor said.
"The biggest common factor for all mega airports that are poor performers is difficult access to airports," Taylor said. "It's not necessarily the airports' fault. Newark isn't in an ideal location traffic-wise."
Construction at Newark airport to replace bridges to the terminals has required closing one of the three traffic lanes serving terminals B and C until next month.
"Anything that can be done to allow people to get to the airport easier and faster will be the fastest way for all metropolitan area airports to improve," Taylor said.
We know these 2 drunk sisters aren’t a fan of Newark Airport.
