Satisfaction Soars at the Indianapolis Airport

Air traveler customer satisfaction is at an all-time low. Fewer flights and more crowded terminals are causing mayhem for travelers. However, one airport is defying expectations and standing out from the competition by offering excellent customer service in the face of industry challenges.

Michael Taylor, Managing Director of Travel, Hospitality, and Retail at J. D Power, sat down with Mario Rodriguez, Executive Director of the Indianapolis International Airport to talk about the airport’s award-winning performance this year, and the thoughtful planning that took place for this achievement to occur.

Every aspect of the traveler experience has been carefully considered, from the airport's location to smaller details within the terminal. As Rodriguez explained, “The building is the palette that our staff is using to deliver customer service…The building allows us to deliver that high customer service, everywhere from the garage parking…to coming into the airport on the roadways.”

The current airport sits approximately 20 minutes away from downtown Indianapolis and is directly connected to the highway, making it extremely convenient for business travelers to access. The terminal is relatively new, undergoing a significant redesign after 9/11. The timing of the redesign put the newly instated TSA requirements front and center. The new design actively sought to accommodate TSA equipment and safety measures in functional and effective ways.

Receiving an overall customer satisfaction score of 842 out of 1,000, travelers revealed that they were beyond impressed with the work that went into this year’s outstanding performance from Indianapolis International Airport. Rodriguez shared his viewpoint on the distinct factors that he believes contributed to their high ranking in the Medium Airports Segment (their fifth overall win):

• Improving the dining and shopping experience: After the pandemic restrictions loosened, food, beverage, and retail were revamped. Great restaurants that tourists, travelers, and local “Hoosiers” loved were brought in. While waiting for their connecting flights, customers could enjoy these restaurants at the same quality and level that they would encounter dining in the city.
• Overcoming industry-wide challenges: Industries across the country are dealing with labor shortages, making it difficult to provide the best customer experience possible. To get ahead of this problem, the airport offers competitive pay with great benefits to employees. In addition, the airport is looking for other innovative solutions to traveler experience needs including increased automation behind the scenes to continue to meet customer expectations despite labor shortages. 

To learn more about why customers ranked Indianapolis International Airport so highly in this year’s 2022 North America Airport Satisfaction Study and to listen to previous episodes, tune into the Travel Podcast wherever you like to listen.

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