Asia Comes out on Top
By Moon Ihlwan
When it comes to airports, many travelers have a simple goal: Spend as little time there as possible. With the global recession causing airlines to cut back on services—and with travelers having less cash to spend at duty-free stores and other shops—the airport experience threatens to get even worse. One part of the world where a trip to the airport isn't so enervating, though, is Asia. In the annual survey of airport service quality by Geneva-based Airports Council International (ACI), Asian airports—Seoul, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Nagoya, Japan—won four of the five top spots. Nova Scotia's Halifax was the only non-Asian airport to be included in the top five.
More than 200,000 passengers at 126 airports from around the world took part in the quarterly airport surveys, measuring more than 30 elements of passenger experience and how well each element satisfies expectations. While Asian airports aren't immune to the economic downturn and the fall in airline traffic that has come with it, governments around the region are intent on maintaining their lead. Big expansion projects are underway, for instance, in Shanghai and Seoul.
Why Asia Has the World's Best Airports
A focus on service and initiatives to make travel attractive even in tough times gives Asia four out of the five top spots in a global survey of airport quality
Practically every traveler has a nightmare story about airports. There are the long queues for security screenings, surly customs and immigration officers, and flight cancellations or lengthy delays. But in Asia, a number of airports have come a long way in making the preflight hours more pleasant for passengers.
Where is the world's best airport? Seoul, according to the annual Airport Service Quality Survey released this month by Geneva-based Airports Council International. Asia practically swept the survey's top honors, winning four—Seoul, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Nagoya, Japan—of the first five spots in the ranking. Nova Scotia's Halifax was the only non-Asian airport in the top five.
Those flight hubs impressed the more than 200,000 passengers at 126 airports from around the world who took part in the quarterly airport surveys. They rated the passenger experience from a list of more than 30 service-quality factors, including courtesy, cleanliness, and overall ambience. (For more on the top airports, see this slide show.)
"Commitment to Hospitality"
Few U.S. airports rank high in the survey. That's because airports in the U.S. are widely viewed as public facilities, while those in Asia are seen as service-oriented businesses, analysts say. The difference in perceptions explains why Asian countries will splurge on airports, while U.S. operators won't. "Asians have a different philosophy for airports," says Kim Hyo Joon, an independent aviation consultant and ex-chief operating officer of Incheon International Airport Corp., the state-owned company that runs Seoul's airport. "Our focus is to make airports convenient, attractive, and pleasant, even at fairly high costs."
Many of the highest-ranking airports weren't just conceived as multibillion-dollar projects. Asia's top airports also regularly spend big sums on upgrading everything from showers to shops for travelers. But can they retain their lead? Probably, says Nancy Gautier, Airports Council communication director. "There seems to be both a business and cultural commitment to hospitality that underpins their customer service," she says.
Take Seoul's Incheon International Airport, which snagged first place in the ranking for the fourth straight year. Two years before opening the $5 billion airport in 2001, airport administrators set up a task force that analyzed what some of the world's best airports were doing right. The task force looked at Singapore, Hong Kong, Denver, and Atlanta. Then planners set about figuring out how the new Seoul airport could offer services that would outdo those hubs. The airport, which last June completed the $3 billion addition of a passenger terminal and runway, has earmarked $120 million for further upgrades in parking and other amenities this year.
Savvy Initiatives Despite a Downturn
Other areas of the Korean government are heavily involved, too. Incheon International Airport Corp. has linked a customer satisfaction campaign to a national agenda that aims to turn the country into a key aviation gateway in northeast Asia. "The government is committed to lending support to make Incheon International Airport a magnet for our logistics industry and tourism," says Kim Se Ho, a former Transportation Vice-Minister in Korea.
But lately the global economic downturn has hurt Korea's ambitions. Passenger traffic has suffered double-digit declines this year. One reason is that many Koreans have cut back on travel since the country's currency, the won, plunged in value against other major currencies. In the past, when the won was strong against the Japanese yen, many Koreans would fly to Japan for a weekend of golf, shopping, or hot springs. But the won's 34% drop against the U.S. dollar and 43% fall against the yen since the beginning of 2008 has made it much costlier for Koreans to travel overseas.
To attract airlines and travelers, Incheon airport has cut down on waiting times. Administrators reassigned terminals for planes making a brief stop and reprogrammed computerized baggage handling systems. The result: Last year the airport reduced to 45 minutes from 55 minutes the minimum connection time for passengers who are traveling through Seoul to other destinations. The airport authority also spent around $7 million on a new 240-seat lounge, which opened last June for departing passengers and offers free showers, Internet connections, and movies on giant-screen TVs.
Such initiatives appear to be paying off. In January and February, the number of travelers passing through Seoul to destinations outside Korea jumped nearly 39%, to 900,000, from the first two months of last year, even as overall passenger traffic fell 13.4% to 4.74 million. "We know many other airports are waging similar campaigns to boost their traffic," says Yoon Han Young, Seoul airport's aviation marketing director. "Passengers will only benefit from the competition."
Seoul, South Korea
ACI ranking: No. 1 worldwide
Incheon International Airport is South Korea's largest airport, serving as the main gateway to Seoul. The airport has been rated as the top performing airport in the world for the fourth consecutive year, thanks partly to the government's campaign to make it an aviation hub in Northeast Asia. Last summer, for example, it launched a new lounge for transit passengers offering free facilities for shower, Internet, and giant screens for movies.
Singapore
ACI ranking: No. 2 worldwide
Singapore's Changi Airport is the most popular airport in Southeast Asia. Since its opening in 1981, Changi has served as a benchmark for airport service excellence. With air traffic through Singapore regarded as an important contributor to the country's economy, the authorities have made sure Changi is constantly upgraded to maintain good services to users.
Hong Kong
ACI ranking: No. 3 worldwide
Hong Kong International Airport, also known as Chek Lap Kok Airport, has been constantly rated as one of the best operated airports in Asia and the world. An important connecting hub for destinations in China and Asia, it is open for business 24 hours a day and is rated the best airport on the planet among those handling more than 40 million travelers annually.
Nagoya, Japan
ACI ranking: No. 4 worldwide
Central Japan International Airport, or Centrair, is built on a man-made island, south of Nagoya in central Japan. After much lobbying by Toyota and other local business groups for an airport facilitating 24-hour cargo flights, it opened in 2005 and took over almost all of existing Nagoya Airport's commercial flights. Shaped like the rounded letter "D," its shores were sloped to let sea currents flow freely. An observation deck provides visitors with a panoramic view of sunsets over Ise Bay.
Halifax, Nova Scotia
ACI ranking: No. 5 worldwide
Halifax Stanfield International Airport has been selected as the world's best airport for traveler satisfaction among airports used by less than 5 million passengers for the third straight year. The airport in Nova Scotia, Canada, was also the best performing airport in North America for the second year in a row. Halifax Airport is one of a handful of sites along eastern North America where the Space Shuttle could land if something went wrong during liftoff.
George, South Africa
ACI ranking: No. 1 in Africa
George Airport in George, South Africa, was formerly known as P.W. Botha Airport. It is the gateway to Africa's most fashionable holiday destination and South Africa's most affluent residents. It was built in 1977 as a replica of the Keetnamshoop Namibia airport.
Zurich, Switzerland
ACI ranking: No. 1 in Europe
Zurich Airport, also called Kloten Airport, is Switzerland's largest international airport. Underneath the airport terminal, a railway system offers train connection to many parts of Switzerland.
Guayaquil, Ecuador
ACI ranking: No. 1 in Latin America and the Caribbean
José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport was named the best airport in Latin America and the Caribbean in terms of service quality for the second year running. Named after a famous Ecuadorian poet and the first mayor of the city of Guayaquil, the airport has the newest terminal in the country, boasting modern stone and glass architecture.
Tel Aviv, Israel
ACI ranking: No. 1 in Middle East
Ben Gurion International Airport, named in honor of Israel's first Prime Minister David Ben Gurion, is the country's largest airport. Located just outside Tel Aviv, it is considered one of the world's most secure airports. Although the airport has been the target of several terrorist attacks, no attempt to hijack a plane departing from Ben Gurion has succeeded.
Port Elizabeth, South Africa
ACI ranking: No. 2 in Africa
Port Elizabeth Airport is only about two miles from the South African city's central business district and boasts easy connections to town. It opened in 1936.
Southampton, England
ACI ranking: No. 2 in Europe
Staff at Southhampton Airport can make a claim to be the friendliest and most helpful airport employees in Europe, having won the "Airport People Award" for Europe this year from Airports Council International. The airport, severing over 40 European destinations and handling about 2 million passengers every year, is also among the world's top five airports serving fewer than 5 million passengers a year.
Cancun, Mexico
ACI ranking: No. 2 in Latin America and Caribbean
Cancun Airport International on the Caribbean coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula is one of the busiest airports in the Caribbean. It is the second busiest airport in Mexico after Mexico City's, and the number of visitors has been increasing every year because of mega-resorts being developed around Cancun and the Riviera Maya.
Abu Dhabi, UAE
ACI ranking: No. 2 in the Middle East
Abu Dhabi International Airport is currently pressing ahead with a $6.8 billion expansion program as part of the emirate's ambitious tourist project despite the global economic downturn. The program takes into account everything from walking times and duty-free shops to immigration and customs to better serve travelers.
Ottawa, Ontario
ACI ranking: No. 2 in North America
For the fourth year in a row, Ottawa International Airport was ranked the world's No. 2 in the category of airports serving fewer than 5 million passengers. Along with Japan's Nagoya and Canada's Halifax, it is also chosen as one of the top three domestic airports.
Cape Town, South Africa
ACI ranking: No. 3 in Africa
Cape Town International is South Africa's second-largest airport and serves as a main tourism gateway for the country.
Porto, Portugal
ACI ranking: No. 3 in Europe
Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, named for a Portuguese politician who was killed in an airplane crash as he was heading for this airport, was placed first in Europe last year but slipped to third place. It is one of Portugal's three largest airports, together with Lisbon Airport and Faro Airport. On World Tourism Day in September the airport greets arriving passengers with flowers, port wine, and optional organized tours.
San Jose, Costa Rica
ACI ranking: No. 3 in Latin America and Caribbean
The San Jose International Airport, also called Juan Santamaria International Airport, is the oldest airport in Costa Rica. It was named after drummer boy Juan Santamaria, who died in the Battle of Rivas in 1856 defending his country against the invading forces of William Walker, the American who tried to conquer several countries in Latin America. The primary airport in Costa Rica, the airport sits just 17 kilometers from San Jose.
Doha, Qatar
ACI ranking: No. 3 in the Middle East
Doha International Airport, the only commercial airport in Qatar, has gone through many expansions and upgrades in the past couple of years, but it is due to be replaced by 2011. The airport is attracting a growing number of foreign tourists and transit travelers, while in the past it was mostly used by Qatari passengers and foreign workers employed by the oil and gas industry. It has three mosques.
Austin, Tex.
ACI rating: No. 3 in North America
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, located on the site of the former Bergstrom Air Force Base within 10 miles of the central business district of Austin, opened in 1999 and offers nonstop service to 40 destinations in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Passenger traffic hit an annual record last year, topping 9 million travelers for the first time.
Beijing Capital International, China
ACI rating: Most Improved
Big sporting events such as the Olympics provide an important impetus to improve a country's infrastructure. To handle athletes and visitors for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, the Chinese authorities spent almost $4 billion on a major upgrade, opening a giant new terminal. The airport, thanks partly to its staff's concerted efforts to improve services to passengers, ended up winning the Best Improvement Award in last year's survey.
Taipei, Taiwan
ACI rating: No. 5 in Asia
A fierce competition in Asia to win travelers' hearts forced Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport near Taipei to the No. 5 spot in Asia, with the top four airports in the region taking up the first four spots in the global ranking as well. Yet among airports serving between 15 million and 25 million passengers annually, Taipei is ranked No. 1, ahead of Europe's top overall performer, Zurich.
By Moon Ihlwan
When it comes to airports, many travelers have a simple goal: Spend as little time there as possible. With the global recession causing airlines to cut back on services—and with travelers having less cash to spend at duty-free stores and other shops—the airport experience threatens to get even worse. One part of the world where a trip to the airport isn't so enervating, though, is Asia. In the annual survey of airport service quality by Geneva-based Airports Council International (ACI), Asian airports—Seoul, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Nagoya, Japan—won four of the five top spots. Nova Scotia's Halifax was the only non-Asian airport to be included in the top five.
More than 200,000 passengers at 126 airports from around the world took part in the quarterly airport surveys, measuring more than 30 elements of passenger experience and how well each element satisfies expectations. While Asian airports aren't immune to the economic downturn and the fall in airline traffic that has come with it, governments around the region are intent on maintaining their lead. Big expansion projects are underway, for instance, in Shanghai and Seoul.
Why Asia Has the World's Best Airports
A focus on service and initiatives to make travel attractive even in tough times gives Asia four out of the five top spots in a global survey of airport quality
Practically every traveler has a nightmare story about airports. There are the long queues for security screenings, surly customs and immigration officers, and flight cancellations or lengthy delays. But in Asia, a number of airports have come a long way in making the preflight hours more pleasant for passengers.
Where is the world's best airport? Seoul, according to the annual Airport Service Quality Survey released this month by Geneva-based Airports Council International. Asia practically swept the survey's top honors, winning four—Seoul, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Nagoya, Japan—of the first five spots in the ranking. Nova Scotia's Halifax was the only non-Asian airport in the top five.
Those flight hubs impressed the more than 200,000 passengers at 126 airports from around the world who took part in the quarterly airport surveys. They rated the passenger experience from a list of more than 30 service-quality factors, including courtesy, cleanliness, and overall ambience. (For more on the top airports, see this slide show.)
"Commitment to Hospitality"
Few U.S. airports rank high in the survey. That's because airports in the U.S. are widely viewed as public facilities, while those in Asia are seen as service-oriented businesses, analysts say. The difference in perceptions explains why Asian countries will splurge on airports, while U.S. operators won't. "Asians have a different philosophy for airports," says Kim Hyo Joon, an independent aviation consultant and ex-chief operating officer of Incheon International Airport Corp., the state-owned company that runs Seoul's airport. "Our focus is to make airports convenient, attractive, and pleasant, even at fairly high costs."
Many of the highest-ranking airports weren't just conceived as multibillion-dollar projects. Asia's top airports also regularly spend big sums on upgrading everything from showers to shops for travelers. But can they retain their lead? Probably, says Nancy Gautier, Airports Council communication director. "There seems to be both a business and cultural commitment to hospitality that underpins their customer service," she says.
Take Seoul's Incheon International Airport, which snagged first place in the ranking for the fourth straight year. Two years before opening the $5 billion airport in 2001, airport administrators set up a task force that analyzed what some of the world's best airports were doing right. The task force looked at Singapore, Hong Kong, Denver, and Atlanta. Then planners set about figuring out how the new Seoul airport could offer services that would outdo those hubs. The airport, which last June completed the $3 billion addition of a passenger terminal and runway, has earmarked $120 million for further upgrades in parking and other amenities this year.
Savvy Initiatives Despite a Downturn
Other areas of the Korean government are heavily involved, too. Incheon International Airport Corp. has linked a customer satisfaction campaign to a national agenda that aims to turn the country into a key aviation gateway in northeast Asia. "The government is committed to lending support to make Incheon International Airport a magnet for our logistics industry and tourism," says Kim Se Ho, a former Transportation Vice-Minister in Korea.
But lately the global economic downturn has hurt Korea's ambitions. Passenger traffic has suffered double-digit declines this year. One reason is that many Koreans have cut back on travel since the country's currency, the won, plunged in value against other major currencies. In the past, when the won was strong against the Japanese yen, many Koreans would fly to Japan for a weekend of golf, shopping, or hot springs. But the won's 34% drop against the U.S. dollar and 43% fall against the yen since the beginning of 2008 has made it much costlier for Koreans to travel overseas.
To attract airlines and travelers, Incheon airport has cut down on waiting times. Administrators reassigned terminals for planes making a brief stop and reprogrammed computerized baggage handling systems. The result: Last year the airport reduced to 45 minutes from 55 minutes the minimum connection time for passengers who are traveling through Seoul to other destinations. The airport authority also spent around $7 million on a new 240-seat lounge, which opened last June for departing passengers and offers free showers, Internet connections, and movies on giant-screen TVs.
Such initiatives appear to be paying off. In January and February, the number of travelers passing through Seoul to destinations outside Korea jumped nearly 39%, to 900,000, from the first two months of last year, even as overall passenger traffic fell 13.4% to 4.74 million. "We know many other airports are waging similar campaigns to boost their traffic," says Yoon Han Young, Seoul airport's aviation marketing director. "Passengers will only benefit from the competition."
Seoul, South Korea
ACI ranking: No. 1 worldwide
Incheon International Airport is South Korea's largest airport, serving as the main gateway to Seoul. The airport has been rated as the top performing airport in the world for the fourth consecutive year, thanks partly to the government's campaign to make it an aviation hub in Northeast Asia. Last summer, for example, it launched a new lounge for transit passengers offering free facilities for shower, Internet, and giant screens for movies.
Singapore
ACI ranking: No. 2 worldwide
Singapore's Changi Airport is the most popular airport in Southeast Asia. Since its opening in 1981, Changi has served as a benchmark for airport service excellence. With air traffic through Singapore regarded as an important contributor to the country's economy, the authorities have made sure Changi is constantly upgraded to maintain good services to users.
Hong Kong
ACI ranking: No. 3 worldwide
Hong Kong International Airport, also known as Chek Lap Kok Airport, has been constantly rated as one of the best operated airports in Asia and the world. An important connecting hub for destinations in China and Asia, it is open for business 24 hours a day and is rated the best airport on the planet among those handling more than 40 million travelers annually.
Nagoya, Japan
ACI ranking: No. 4 worldwide
Central Japan International Airport, or Centrair, is built on a man-made island, south of Nagoya in central Japan. After much lobbying by Toyota and other local business groups for an airport facilitating 24-hour cargo flights, it opened in 2005 and took over almost all of existing Nagoya Airport's commercial flights. Shaped like the rounded letter "D," its shores were sloped to let sea currents flow freely. An observation deck provides visitors with a panoramic view of sunsets over Ise Bay.
Halifax, Nova Scotia
ACI ranking: No. 5 worldwide
Halifax Stanfield International Airport has been selected as the world's best airport for traveler satisfaction among airports used by less than 5 million passengers for the third straight year. The airport in Nova Scotia, Canada, was also the best performing airport in North America for the second year in a row. Halifax Airport is one of a handful of sites along eastern North America where the Space Shuttle could land if something went wrong during liftoff.
George, South Africa
ACI ranking: No. 1 in Africa
George Airport in George, South Africa, was formerly known as P.W. Botha Airport. It is the gateway to Africa's most fashionable holiday destination and South Africa's most affluent residents. It was built in 1977 as a replica of the Keetnamshoop Namibia airport.
Zurich, Switzerland
ACI ranking: No. 1 in Europe
Zurich Airport, also called Kloten Airport, is Switzerland's largest international airport. Underneath the airport terminal, a railway system offers train connection to many parts of Switzerland.
Guayaquil, Ecuador
ACI ranking: No. 1 in Latin America and the Caribbean
José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport was named the best airport in Latin America and the Caribbean in terms of service quality for the second year running. Named after a famous Ecuadorian poet and the first mayor of the city of Guayaquil, the airport has the newest terminal in the country, boasting modern stone and glass architecture.
Tel Aviv, Israel
ACI ranking: No. 1 in Middle East
Port Elizabeth, South Africa
ACI ranking: No. 2 in Africa
Port Elizabeth Airport is only about two miles from the South African city's central business district and boasts easy connections to town. It opened in 1936.
Southampton, England
ACI ranking: No. 2 in Europe
Staff at Southhampton Airport can make a claim to be the friendliest and most helpful airport employees in Europe, having won the "Airport People Award" for Europe this year from Airports Council International. The airport, severing over 40 European destinations and handling about 2 million passengers every year, is also among the world's top five airports serving fewer than 5 million passengers a year.
Cancun, Mexico
ACI ranking: No. 2 in Latin America and Caribbean
Cancun Airport International on the Caribbean coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula is one of the busiest airports in the Caribbean. It is the second busiest airport in Mexico after Mexico City's, and the number of visitors has been increasing every year because of mega-resorts being developed around Cancun and the Riviera Maya.
Abu Dhabi, UAE
ACI ranking: No. 2 in the Middle East
Abu Dhabi International Airport is currently pressing ahead with a $6.8 billion expansion program as part of the emirate's ambitious tourist project despite the global economic downturn. The program takes into account everything from walking times and duty-free shops to immigration and customs to better serve travelers.
Ottawa, Ontario
ACI ranking: No. 2 in North America
For the fourth year in a row, Ottawa International Airport was ranked the world's No. 2 in the category of airports serving fewer than 5 million passengers. Along with Japan's Nagoya and Canada's Halifax, it is also chosen as one of the top three domestic airports.
Cape Town, South Africa
ACI ranking: No. 3 in Africa
Cape Town International is South Africa's second-largest airport and serves as a main tourism gateway for the country.
Porto, Portugal
ACI ranking: No. 3 in Europe
Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, named for a Portuguese politician who was killed in an airplane crash as he was heading for this airport, was placed first in Europe last year but slipped to third place. It is one of Portugal's three largest airports, together with Lisbon Airport and Faro Airport. On World Tourism Day in September the airport greets arriving passengers with flowers, port wine, and optional organized tours.
San Jose, Costa Rica
ACI ranking: No. 3 in Latin America and Caribbean
The San Jose International Airport, also called Juan Santamaria International Airport, is the oldest airport in Costa Rica. It was named after drummer boy Juan Santamaria, who died in the Battle of Rivas in 1856 defending his country against the invading forces of William Walker, the American who tried to conquer several countries in Latin America. The primary airport in Costa Rica, the airport sits just 17 kilometers from San Jose.
Doha, Qatar
ACI ranking: No. 3 in the Middle East
Doha International Airport, the only commercial airport in Qatar, has gone through many expansions and upgrades in the past couple of years, but it is due to be replaced by 2011. The airport is attracting a growing number of foreign tourists and transit travelers, while in the past it was mostly used by Qatari passengers and foreign workers employed by the oil and gas industry. It has three mosques.
Austin, Tex.
ACI rating: No. 3 in North America
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, located on the site of the former Bergstrom Air Force Base within 10 miles of the central business district of Austin, opened in 1999 and offers nonstop service to 40 destinations in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Passenger traffic hit an annual record last year, topping 9 million travelers for the first time.
Beijing Capital International, China
ACI rating: Most Improved
Big sporting events such as the Olympics provide an important impetus to improve a country's infrastructure. To handle athletes and visitors for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, the Chinese authorities spent almost $4 billion on a major upgrade, opening a giant new terminal. The airport, thanks partly to its staff's concerted efforts to improve services to passengers, ended up winning the Best Improvement Award in last year's survey.
Taipei, Taiwan
ACI rating: No. 5 in Asia
A fierce competition in Asia to win travelers' hearts forced Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport near Taipei to the No. 5 spot in Asia, with the top four airports in the region taking up the first four spots in the global ranking as well. Yet among airports serving between 15 million and 25 million passengers annually, Taipei is ranked No. 1, ahead of Europe's top overall performer, Zurich.
1 comment:
Asians are known for their hospitality and generosity. And, their airline companies embody the same principle. They make it a point to update their system and create a device to improve the quality of their service. Good airline services and attractive tourist spots will surely boost Asia’s tourism.
(Barton Wilson)
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