02 APR 2019: For the seventh year in a row, Singapore Changi has been named the top airport in the world by the prestigious Skytrax Airports Awards. No other airport has matched Changi’s run of success. Vancouver was Canada’s top entry at 17, while Toronto Pearson placed 50th, Montreal 62nd and Halifax 92nd.
Changi also scored top marks in the extensive survey of airport customers from over 100 different nations for best leisure amenities and best airport hotel, the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport.
The rest of the 2019 top 10 global airports, which were announced in London on March 27, are: Tokyo Haneda, Incheon, Hamad (Qatar), Hong Kong, Chubu (Japan), Munich, London Heathrow, Narita, and Zurich.
Notable top 100 entries include: Frankfurt (12), Schiphol (14), Paris CDG (30), London Gatwick (55), LAX (71), and JFK (74).
Lee Seow Hiang, Chief CEO Changi Airport Group, said the facility was honoured to receive the award, but noted that the airport is about to get even better with the opening on April 17 of a more-than-a-mall tourist complex that includes a four-story forest dome with the world’s largest indoor waterfall, integrated with close to 300 dining and retail shopping outlets.
Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax observed: “To be voted the World’s Best Airport for the seventh consecutive year is a truly fabulous achievement for Changi Airport, and this award continues to underline the airport’s popularity with international air travellers. Changi Airport is very focussed on continually improving the customer’s airport experience and innovating with new product and service features.”
Beyond it’s overall top 100, Skytrax offers over a dozen sub-categories, which included Vancouver copping top honours for the 10th consecutive year as Best Airport North America and finishing runner-up for Best Airport: 20 to 30 million passengers. Meanwhile, Toronto Pearson ranked eighth in Best Airport: 40 to 50 million passengers; Montreal placed fifth in the 10-20 million category; and Halifax was fifth and Toronto City 10th for airports up to five million.
Additionally, the Fairmont Vancouver Airport was named Best Airport Hotel North America.
Some other interesting “best” awards: Security – Zurich; Cleanest – Tokyo Haneda; Transit – Incheon; Shopping – LHR; Terminal – LHR T5; Dining – Hong Kong; and Baggage delivery – Kansai.
The Skytrax Awards are recognized as the global benchmark of airport excellence with more than 13.5 million completed questionnaires, making it the largest annual global airport customer satisfaction survey.