The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is ranked as the No. 1 large airport in North America for customer satisfaction based on J.D. Power’s 2021 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, released on Sept. 22. MSY’s No. 1 ranking represents significant improvement from No. 11 in 2020 and No. 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 No. 1 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:
• Named the most efficient airport in North America among airports serving 5-15 million passengers per year by the Air Transport Research Society (ATRS).
• Ranked No. 3 Best Large Airport by USA Today’s 2021 10Best Reader’s Choice Award Poll.
• Awarded Best Hygiene Measures in North America by Airports Council International World’s 2020 ASQ Program.
• MSY achieved GBAC Star Facility Certification in 2020, which demonstrates a commitment to providing a clean and healthy facility for all who come to the airport.
• Director of Aviation, Kevin Dolliole, was named Airport Experience News’ (AXN) 2020 Director of the Year in the medium airports category and Biz New Orleans magazine’s 2019 CEO of the Year.
• Launched MSY Guest Pass program in 2019 allowing non-ticketed visitors access post-security to shop, dine, or visit with family or friends who are traveling.
• Won Best Overall Public Relations Program for Medium Airports during 2020 Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) Excellence in Airport Marketing, Communications, and Customer Experience (MarComCX) Awards.
• Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter presented MSY with five awards in 2020 for campaigns related to the opening of the terminal and COVID-19 preparations.
