JFK Airport flies high in New York-area survey

New York-area travelers like John F. Kennedy Airport the most and LaGuardia the least, according to a survey by airport advocates. Of the 457 metropolitan travelers surveyed, 42% named JFK as their favorite, 35% Newark and 20% LaGuardia, according to the Global Gateway Alliance, a business group that advocates for airport improvements.

But when asked how airports affected their impressions of the region, 38% reported that they had bad impressions, 37% said airports didn't matter and 25% had a good impression, according to the survey. Opinions can be fickle. The top five airports leaving a good impression were JFK, Newark, Orlando, Atlanta and Denver, according to the survey. But there was some overlap with the worst five: LaGuardia, JFK , Newark, Chicago's O'Hare and Atlanta.

Among the complaints about New York airports, 18% cited security and customs, 15% the lack of Wi-Fi and 12% the poor on-time performance, according to the survey. For improvements, 43% would like free Wi-Fi at the airports and 27% would like better ground-transportation links.

"At a time when the nation is reevaluating its infrastructure, we too must take a long hard look at our airports and take the necessary steps to transform them from 'third world' to first class," said Joseph Sitt, the group's founder and chairman.

The survey came after Vice President Joe Biden compared LaGuardia to a third-world country.

"If I blindfolded someone and took them at 2 in the morning into the airport in Hong Kong and said 'where do you think you are,' they'd say, 'this must be America, it's a modern airport,'" Biden said during a speech in Philadelphia. "But if I blindfolded you and took you to LaGuardia Airport in New York, you must think, 'I must be in some third-world country.' I'm not joking."

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced in January an ambitious $3.6 billion construction project that envisions an entirely new central terminal at LaGuardia, with vast open spaces, restaurants, shopping plazas, new parking garages, free Wi-Fi and other amenities now common in other airports. Cuomo also wants to develop a plan to upgrade cargo operations at JFK.

"LaGuardia airport is ranked as the worst airport in America believe it or not," Cuomo said in his state of the state speech. "That is a disgrace my friends and it is unacceptable and it is going to change. We need to modernize JFK and LaGuardia."

The Global Gateway survey of 457 people in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania conducted by SurveyMonkey from April 9 to May 13.