According to a new report from Forbes Advisor, Orange County’s John Wayne Airport is the angriest in the nation when it comes to how frequently travelers take to social media to voice their complaints.
Based on Twitter activity that the study tracked over the last year, nearly two-thirds (65-percent) of tweets directed at the airport are “angry,” often complaining of noise, staff members, delayed flights and TSA issues.
Overall, the study analyzed more than 37,000 tweets that mentioned the official Twitter handles of 60 of the United States’ busiest airports. While John Wayne Airport led the way, the only other California airport to make the list was San Diego International Airport, which came in at No. 7.
Neighboring airports in Los Angeles International Airport and Hollywood Burbank Airport, both received more than 10-percent fewer complaints on social media. The airports were ranked No. 12 and No. 13, respectively.
A 2022 passenger survey disputes the claims made in the study however, with travelers awarding a 73-percent approval rating.
Charlene Reynolds, the airport’s director, said that the study is a spotlight on John Wayne Airport’s “commitment to deliver safe and convenient air travel and a superior guest experience travelers can rely on.”
The Forbes report also lists the J.D. Power 2022 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, which ranks the airport as the second-best in the nation.
Other airports that ranked among the angriest are Jacksonville International Airport (No. 2 with 60-percent angry tweets), Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Nebraska (No. 3 with 59-percent angry tweets) and Tampa International Airport (No. 4 with 57-percent angry tweets).
The study also found that more than half of tweets from travelers that directly mentioned airport Twitter handles were angry, most commonly complaining of delays, security and long waiting times.
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Indianapolis International Airport were the least-targeted by social media users on Twitter.
John Wayne Airport, which is also known by it’s airport code SNA, is located in the heart of Orange County, and is the closest transportation hub to Disneyland in Anaheim, Huntington Beach and the Angel Stadium, the Anaheim-based stadium of the Los Angeles Angels. The airport serves more than 11 million travelers a year.
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