Travelers Pleased With John Wayne, New Survey Shows

Despite some discontentment with flight availability and fares, travelers gave high marks to John Wayne Airport in a survey released this week.

When asked to rank their overall satisfaction with a letter grade, 95% of the 400 travelers questioned during a survey at the airport gave John Wayne an “A” or “B” rating. In a separate phone survey of 400 Orange County residents, 88% also gave the airport high marks.

Results will be used to help with marketing, improving and selecting concessions, public outreach and other areas, airport spokeswoman Kathleen Campini Chambers said.

“We do a survey and make sure our passenger profile and the kinds of things we’re providing passengers equal each other,” said O.B. Schooley, airport director.

John Wayne’s proximity to businesses and residential areas appears to be its greatest attribute.

More than 90% of the respondents interviewed at the airport said they selected John Wayne because of its “convenient location.”

Of the Orange County survey participants, about 56% live in North County, while 44% live in South County. Irvine ranked No. 1 as the point of origin for both business and pleasure travelers.

Mission Viejo, Huntington Beach, Santa Ana, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa and Laguna Niguel also ranked high as the hometowns of pleasure travelers using John Wayne.

Airport officials said the survey didn’t examine whether the heavy use of John Wayne by South County travelers would result in stronger demand for service at the proposed international airport at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

Despite the high marks, those surveyed said John Wayne has room for improvement.

For phone respondents, the biggest concerns were ticket pricing and flight schedules. Forty-two percent did not choose John Wayne in the past because of the lack of flight availability. Noise restrictions limit the number of flights John Wayne can offer.

Another 32% said cost influenced their decision to fly from other airports, another area that could improve with flights out of El Toro.

Others complained about the lack of parking. Officials said new lots are under construction.

Those who use John Wayne appear equipped to handle the higher prices of air travel.

As described in a summary of the study, the typical user is male, Caucasian, 35 to 44 years old, and has an annual household income of $100,000 or more.

The median household income in Orange County is $63,200.

John Wayne positions itself to cater to an upscale market, Schooley said, but it recently added bargain carriers such as Reno Air and Southwest Airlines.

The ratio of business to leisure travelers is nearly 1 to 1, according to the survey.