Despite a bumpy future ahead for domestic airliners, the number of satisfied travelers that flew out of Capital City Airport is up 10 percent from 2001, according to an MSU study.
"People really like the convenience of going to a nearby airport," said communication Professor Charles Atkin, administrator of the research.
The survey cited low air fares, convenience and fast security screening as reasons local residents prefer to fly from Capital City rather than Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.
"Customer input is why we do most of the programs we do," said Helen Schlientz, deputy executive director of Capital City.
The results of the study come in the midst of announcements by several major airlines that profits continue to decline.
Delta Air Lines announced last week that high fuel prices and financial losses accounted for "disappointing" results at the end of 2004, according to a statement on its Web site.
Although air fares are low across the country, Schlientz said the public's perception that secondary airports are higher priced is changing.
Depending on the destination and connector flights, fares tend to be competitive, if not cheaper at Lansing, said Mark Peery, director of operations at Student Breaks travel agency, 135 E. Grand River Ave.
Schlientz said Capital City's satisfaction rate is up because of lower fares, more airlines and services, including a free business center with Internet access.
However, she added that communication with customers could still be improved.
Michael Conway, director public affairs and environment at Detroit Metro, said a good rating for regional airports is good news for his hub because they are interconnected.
"I'm really happy that people have such a positive perception of Lansing," Conway said.
Metro airport subscribed to a customer survey in past years but cut the program this year to save money, Conway said.
Past studies suggested the airport works to improve the appearance of the grounds and baggage delivery and accuracy, Conway said.
But Detroit employees are speeding passengers through metal detectors; even though those surveyed at Lansing thought Capital City was faster.
"Our passenger screening times are among the best in the nation," Conway said.
MSU's Atkin said security screening is improving all the time.
Student researchers were sent to the Lansing airport on Sept. 11, 2001 for the first survey, but the events of that day forced them to delay the study, he said.
"All the airline industry went into complete havoc that day," Atkin said.
He said the survey had to be completely reworked to see whether people were scared to fly.
But more than three years after the terrorist attacks, the questionnaire doesn't include anything about safety because travelers feel the security does protect them against potential risks, he said.
"If there's some other incident in the future, we'll have to study that aspect more closely again," he said.
