LaGuardia Airport, formerly compared to a “third-world country” hub, has been named the best mid-sized airport in the United States.
According to Port Authority, the infrastructure in Queens, which just underwent a multibillion-dollar renovation, was voted the best in a poll of thousands of airline customers that was announced on Monday.
High ceilings, broader concourses, and better lighting are just a few of the improvements that garnered favorable feedback by travelers – to the point that some of them may now find LaGuardia Airport more convenient than JFK to fly into and out of New York City.
This is a stunning contrast to LaGuardia’s recent past, when it was considered the most infamous of the three airports serving the New York region. Not only was it frequently the subject of “Saturday Night Live” sketches, but even then-Vice President Joe Biden once compared it to a third-world infrastructure.
“If I took you and blindfolded you and took you to LaGuardia Airport you’d think I must be in some third world country”, Biden famously said.
Officials now hope that the airport is past its darkest days. “I am very pleased to announce LaGuardia Airport was rated at the top of its class,” Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton stated. “And yes, Lorne Michaels, the memory of SNL’s sushi skit still lingers,” Cotton said. “LaGuardia’s days as a punchline for late night jokes are finally over.”
