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LaGuardia rises from worst to first in North American airport passenger survey
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Mar 11, 2024
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CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Mar 11, 2024
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Once considered among the ground-dwellers of North American airports, Queens’ LaGuardia Airport has taken flight as one of the best in its class, according to a survey of passengers released Monday.
The Airport Service Quality survey recognized LaGuardia as one of two best airports of 25 to 40 million annual passengers in North America in 2023, along with Minneapolis/St Paul International Airport. It received an overall satisfaction score of 4.24 out of 5 — 20% higher than its score in 2018, when passengers rated LaGuardia the worst airport in North America.
Last year was the first full year that all of LaGuardia’s new facilities were open to the public.
Port Authority officials celebrated the turnaround on Monday. In a statement, Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton said it validated the airport’s costly transformation.
“LaGuardia used to come in last – dead last – year after year after year in every single passenger survey,” Cotton said. “It was universally regarded as the worst airport in the country. It was the airport everyone loved to hate. But no longer.”
He continued, “Today's results are definitive. LaGuardia Airport has officially transformed from worst to best.”
Around 4,200 passengers participated in the survey conducted by the Airports International Council. The survey asked passengers to rate all aspects of their journeys, from airport cleanliness to staff courtesy, security and other amenities.
Port Authority’s airports had their busiest year last year, with roughly 144 million people flying through the metro area’s LaGuardia, Newark Liberty International, and John F. Kennedy International airports.
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Catalina Gonella
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