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(WJW) — Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) is toward the end of the pack in terms of customer satisfaction under new rankings from J.D. Power.

The consumer insights group’s 2022 North American Airport Satisfaction Study gave the Cleveland airport a ranking of 780 out of 1,000, the third-lowest ranking among 18 medium-sized airports across the country that have 4.5 million to 9.9 million passengers a year.

Cleveland Airport System, which operates Cleveland Hopkins and Burke Lakefront Airport, issued a statement Thursday:

“At Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, our mission is to provide travelers with an enjoyable and safe travel experience that exceeds our customers’ expectations on a daily basis. One of CLE’s key performance metrics is customer service. We are constantly collecting and reviewing feedback in an effort to better determine how we can enhance our overall performance. As the industry continues to recover from the pandemic, we are proud that our passenger traffic is outpacing the national average. We are also pleased to see that CLE improved from last year’s score, which is also above the average for all airports. The CLE team is committed to continuously improving the traveling experience at our airport for our guests.”

Spokesperson John Goersmeyer

The average point score for the medium-sized group was 807. The lowest ranking of 763 went to Hollywood Burbank Airport in California (BUR). The highest ranking of 842 went to Indianapolis International Airport in Indiana (IND).

Air traveler satisfaction rose to an all-time high in 2021, when far fewer people were flying, according to J.D. Power. But now that air travel is returning to normal — back up to 91% of pre-pandemic levels — satisfaction scores are losing altitude nationwide. There are fewer flights, open parking spaces, more crowded terminals and “sparse” food and drink options, according to the study.

“The combination of pent-up demand for air travel, the nationwide labor shortage and steadily rising prices on everything from jet fuel to a bottle of water have created a scenario in which airports are extremely crowded and passengers are increasingly frustrated — and it is likely to continue through 2023,” said Michael Taylor, travel intelligence lead at J.D. Power.

“In some ways, this is a return to normal as larger crowds at airports tend to make travelers more frazzled, but in cases where parking lots are over capacity, gates are standing room only and restaurants and bars are not even open to offer some reprieve, it is clear that increased capacity in airports can’t come soon enough.”

Here is the full list of medium-sized airports ranked by J.D. Power:

The study is based on more than 26,000 surveys of U.S. or Canadian residents who flew through at least one of those country’s airports and measures traveler satisfaction by six categories: terminal facilities; airport arrival and departure; baggage claim; security check; check-in or baggage check; and food, beverage and retail.