LANOIA: New Orleans Airport Ranked Best Large Airport In North America By J.D. Power

Press release from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport:

Keely Herrington

2021-09-22

New Orleans Airport ranked best large airport
in North America by J.D. Power
Also #1 in Food & Beverage and Retail factor

NEW ORLEANS – The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is ranked as the number one large airport in North America for customer satisfaction based on J.D. Power’s 2021 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, which was released on Sept. 22. MSY’s number one ranking represents significant improvement from number 11 in 2020 and number 23 in 2019.

The annual study surveys passengers in six categories (in order of importance): terminal facilities; airport arrival/department; baggage claim; security check; check-in/baggage check; and food, beverage and retail. In the large airport category of 10 to 32.9 million passengers per year, MSY achieved a score of 844 based on a 1,000-point scale.

“I am excited to celebrate the success of the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and its top ranking as number one in customer satisfaction among large airports across North America,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “Reconstructing the new MSY terminal as a state-of-the-art facility was a priority of my administration, and we are thrilled about this recognition for providing top-notch customer service amenities like restaurant and retail options and in expanding the number of airline carriers, which ultimately set the tone for our visitors’ stay. Thanks to J.D. Power for recognizing the strides that we’ve taken to significantly improve MSY for our visitors and for our residents.”

In addition to the overall ranking, MSY also captured number one across the study factor of food & beverage and retail services. This demonstrates a positive customer response to MSY’s food, beverage and retail program, which features several local brands showcasing the spirit of Greater New Orleans region.

“I am beyond ecstatic to see MSY take the top spot in the highly-coveted and well-respected J.D. Power Airport Satisfaction Study,” said Judge Michael Bagneris, Chair of the New Orleans Aviation Board. “For our Airport to see such a vast improvement in rankings over the last three years is nothing short of incredible. With New Orleans as a major tourist destination and a location for global commerce, these results send a clear and direct message that we are providing the residents and visitors of this region with the airport experience they deserve.”

In Nov. 2019, MSY completed construction and moved all operations to its new, 972,000 square-foot terminal featuring three concourses, 35 gates, two new parking garages, a surface parking lot next to the terminal and a remote economy garage offering convenient shuttle service. It was built with the passenger experience in mind, and features a host of modern conveniences as well as a consolidated checkpoint. Beyond the checkpoint, passengers have access to more than 40 different food and retail concessions.

“This honor from J.D. Power is a testament to our tireless efforts to deliver safe, efficient and clean facilities and services to the passengers at the New Orleans Airport,” said Kevin Dolliole, Director of Aviation. “Following the historic success of opening of our new $1 billion terminal complex, we faced unprecedented challenges in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through it all, our team has never wavered on our commitment to providing unmatched customer service. This achievement could not have been possible without our City and Board leadership as well as the over 4,000 employees representing hundreds of different stakeholders spanning across airlines, TSA, police, taxi and shuttle drivers, skycaps, concessionaires, janitorial staff and parking attendants just to name a few. This is only the beginning of what will be an even brighter future for MSY.”

As a result of a deliberate focus on streamlining operations and improving the customer experience, MSY now boasts the following recent accolades in addition to the number one JD Power ranking:

This press release was produced by Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. The views expressed here are the author’s own.