Changi Named World's Best Airport

January 8, 2004
Straits Times, Singapore

Changi Named World's Best Airport 
It wins 18 top awards from industry organisations, magazines; SIA shares top 
honours as best airline 


CHANGI Airport is putting up a tough fight to ward off the competition, bagging 
18 of the top awards given out last year by aviation organisations and industry 
magazines.

It was, for example, named the best airport in the world and the Asia-Pacific 
region, in the Global Airport Monitor of the International Air Transport 
Association (Iata).

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Changi beat more than 10 other airports which handle 25 to 40 million 
passengers, to clinch the top prizes in the surveys done by Iata, which 
represents more than 250 airlines.

In another key passenger survey, though Changi lost out to Hong Kong, the 
contest was very close, according to London-based airline consultancy Skytrax 
Research, which compiled the results.

Close to 1.7 million travellers took part in Skytrax's survey which rated 
airports on different variables, including passenger service standards, ground 
transport services and security/immigration services.

Third after Hong Kong and Changi was Dubai International Airport.

Passengers polled by Skytrax may have rated Changi second, but the consultancy, 
which is conducting its own airport audits, has awarded five stars to Changi 
and only to Changi so far, for a high level of service and product delivery.

The Skytrax audit covers not just airport staff but also service levels at 
airport restaurant and shops.

A Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) spokesman said: 'We are very 
happy Changi Airport is the first and only airport that has been rated '5 
stars' in the Skytrax audit. While Changi has performed well in the audit, we 
have also identified areas for improvement. We will work hard at improving on 
those areas.'

Skytrax is also ranking airlines separately and has given top honours to 
Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airways.

Honours aside, SIA is gearing up for the challenges ahead. In SIA's in-house 
newsletter, SIA chief executive officer Chew Choon Seng told staff that the 
airline faces a tough year battling low-cost carriers and increased competition 
in long-haul travel.

Such challenges, he warned, will come 'thick and fast'. SIA needs to adopt a 
flexible cost structure that will let it compete effectively and at the same 
time be responsive to deal with unpredictable rough patches.

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