The best international airport is Singapore Changi Airport, followed by Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport, Dubai International Airport, and Doha Hamad International Airport, according to the travellers responding to the Global Rescue Fall 2024 Traveller Sentiment and Safety Survey.
“These airports have consistently raised the bar for service, innovation and convenience, providing travellers with a seamless experience from start to finish,” said Dan Richards, CEO of The Global Rescue Companies. “These airports are known for their efficiency, comfort, and overall passenger experience.”
Conversely, travellers listed the London Heathrow Airport, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, and Frankfurt Airport as the worst airports. Inefficient security processes, poor customer service, mishandling of traveller property, and overcrowding are among the main complaints cited by travellers about airports.
Cocktail limits
The survey also revealed traveller attitudes about a pair of developing issues: cocktail limits and passport stamps.
Travel industry leaders and staff have suggested limiting alcohol service in airports and in-flight, but most travellers responding to the survey (61%) said alcohol consumption should be left to the discretion of bartenders, flight attendants, or the individual traveller. Nearly a fifth (19%) said alcohol service should be limited to no more than one drink per 30 minutes, and 17% favoured a limit of one drink per 60 minutes.
Currently, none of the top-rated airports in the survey have strict alcohol limits. Individual airlines such as Emirates and Singapore Airlines have policies that allow flight attendants to stop serving alcohol if a passenger appears intoxicated.
Richards pointed out the challenges in balancing customer service with safety, especially in airports and in-flight. “Travellers should always be responsible for their consumption,” he said, “but airports and airlines also have a duty to ensure the safety of all passengers.”
Passport stamps
Many travellers enjoy collecting passport stamps as souvenirs of their journeys, but those stamps are going away in Europe due to the introduction of the new automated Entry/Exit System (EES). The survey revealed that more than half of travellers (54%) would miss receiving passport stamps from the European Union’s Schengen Area countries.
“The green, blue, black, and red passport stamps are for many travellers’ nostalgic reminders,” Richards said. “The removal of passport stamps is part of the broader trend towards digitization in travel, streamlining border crossings and making travel more efficient.”
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