Travelers' satisfaction with airports in the United States is generally down by 14 percent compared to 2007, according to a survey released on Tuesday.

Among the list, the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) scored in the middle of the range, said the J.D. Power survey.

The study, now in its eighth year, ranks big airports with 30 million or more passengers per year, medium airports with 10-30 million passengers per year and airports with fewer than 10 million passengers per year. It looks at six factors: airport accessibility; baggage claim; check-in/baggage check process; terminal facilities; security check; and food and retail services.

Among medium-sized airports, San Diego International scored 678, slightly ahead of the segment average of 673.

Among smaller airports, Orange County's John Wayne Airport scored 689, a point ahead of Long Beach, 687, where the segment average was 684. Burbank's Bob Hope Airport scored 674.

Overall satisfaction, the survey found, was 675 on a 1,000- point scale, down 14 points from 2007.

Other key findings included:

-- Among customers reporting that their flight was delayed, the length of the delay was 68 minutes, on average.

-- The percentage of customers checking bags has declined considerably, from 77 percent in 2007 to 66 percent in 2008.

-- Males are less satisfied with the security check aspect of their airport experience than are females, on average. Among males, the average satisfaction score is 655 for security check, while among females the average score is 668.

In the satisfaction survey, the average among big airports was 674 on the 1,000-point scale, with Philadelphia International ranking the highest at 690, followed by McCarran International in Las Vegas and Orlando International, tied at 688.

(Xinhua News Agency May 21, 2008)