The study showed that overall satisfaction rose from 4.06 in 2007 to 4.5 on a five-point scale with 5 being very satisfied. Customers also gave the airport a 4.29 in airport ambience, an increase over 3.76 in 2007. While the opening of Terminal 2 contributed to the higher rating, ambiance scores for Terminal 1 also rose.
One of the areas of highest improvement was in rest room cleanliness rising from 3.78 in 2007 to 4.38 in 2009. Another area of significant improvement was in customer service by airline employees at the gates, increasing to 4.75 this year compared to 4.28 in 2007. Gains were also made in the areas of food and retail selection which both rose considerably over the benchmark survey levels in 2007.
Gate area comfort was also highly rated. In Terminal 1, 80 percent registered a rating of 4 or above and while 95 percent gave high marks to Terminal 2. Of those, 69 percent rated the comfort level the highest scoring a 5 for the new terminal. Efforts over the past two years to improve the quality of seating units, cleanliness and the availability of food and retail services in regard to the gate areas throughout the airport contributed to the higher ratings.
Passengers were also given the opportunity to give open-ended responses. The three most common suggestions were the inclusion of more fast food options, an increase in the overall variety of shops and restaurants, and the opportunity for more healthy food choices. These suggestions will be taken into consideration with the completion of Terminal 2 and as the Airport Authority plans renovations for Terminal 1.
The survey also showed that the traveler dynamic is shifting at RDU, likely due to the worldwide economic situation. This year's survey showed 54 percent of passengers are traveling for leisure with 43 percent traveling for business. In 2007, 45 percent of passengers traveled for leisure, 49 percent for business. School related travel accounts for the remaining passenger traffic.
The Airport Authority will use the survey results to make changes in various areas as it seeks to continue improving the passenger experience at RDU.
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