Features
Sea-Tac drops in latest J.D. Power survey
Airport rankings fall from last year
By Rob Smith September 21, 2023
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2023 issue of Seattle Magazine.
A friend who recently flew out of Sea-Tac International Airport told tales of long lines, unhappy fellow passengers, and an unfortunate bag mix-up. He literally had to buy a new suit for a business meeting once he reached his destination. I heard a similar story from another friend whose family flew internationally on vacation this past summer.
Now comes J.D. Power’s 2023 North America Airport Satisfaction study. Sea-Tac ranked No. 18 out of 20 “mega” North American airports for customer satisfaction. It finished No. 13 last year.
Only Toronto Pearson International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport ranked worse. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (where my friend flew into) ranked No. 1.
It should be pointed out that Sea-Tac Airport is in the midst of a massive expansion that could be disruptive to passengers. Plan accordingly.
Overall, J.D. Power found that passenger satisfaction across the United States rose slightly from last year.
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