WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. — Less than one-quarter of airline passengers take advantage of curbside service or self-service kiosks, preferring to check in at the main counter, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2004 Global Airport Satisfaction Index Study released today.

The study, now in its fifth year, measures airport satisfaction in three segments: large (30 million or more passengers per year), medium (10 million to less than 30 million passengers per year) and small (less than 10 million passengers per year).

While overall satisfaction is higher among passengers who check in at curbside, online and at self check-in kiosks, 59 percent of passengers check in at the main counter, which takes an average of 19 minutes. Just 18 percent use a self check-in kiosk, which averages 8 minutes, while 10 percent check in at curbside, which averages 13 minutes. While many airlines now allow passengers to obtain their boarding pass through the Internet, currently only 5 percent of passengers use this option.

"Time is a prime commodity in the travel industry, and is a major factor in influencing customer satisfaction with airports," said Linda Hirneise, partner and executive director of travel industry research at J.D. Power and Associates. "Even though faster options are often available to expedite the check-in process, passengers either aren't aware of them or just aren't yet comfortable using them. The check-in process has the greatest impact on overall airport satisfaction. Airports need to make sure these options are available to passengers and to continue to promote their time-saving benefits."

The study also finds that satisfaction is much higher with airports that provide an environment where passengers can multi-task. This includes services such as a wide selection of eateries and restaurants, access to business centers, wireless Internet connections and abundant shopping. Fifty-four percent of passengers purchase food at the airport, while 37 percent shop at retail stores.

Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) ranks highest in passenger satisfaction among large airports, followed by Orlando (MCO), Denver (DEN) and Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW).

Singapore's Changi International (SIN) ranks highest among medium-sized airports for the third consecutive year, followed by Pittsburgh (PIT), Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky (CVG) and Portland (PDX).

Overall satisfaction is significantly higher for passengers opting for small airports. Calgary (YYC) and San Antonio (SAT) rank highest in a tie among small airports, followed by Austin (AUS), Boise (BOI) and Indianapolis (IND).

The 2004 Global Airport Satisfaction Index Study is based on responses from more than 9,000 passengers who took a flight between October 2003 and November 2004. Respondents were surveyed in six different languages and each evaluated up to two different airports.