Passengers Report Stellar Service at Smaller Airports

Mar 02, 2015

What:
A study by global airport trade association Airports Council International (ACI) named the world’s top airports in terms of service — and many welcome less than 10 million passengers per year.

Why It Matters:
The world’s busiest airports get plenty of media attention, but high volume doesn’t necessarily mean high-quality service. Using a comprehensive benchmarking tool, ACI surveyed passengers at more than 300 airports worldwide on 34 key service indicators, including check-in, security and retail offerings, and the results informed the prestigious 2014 Airport Service Quality Awards.

Many of the honors went to hubs that serve between 2 and 5 million travelers, such as Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport in Mauritius and Jose Joaquin de Olmedo International Airport in Ecuador. Iceland’s Keflavik International Airport was named Europe’s top airport. In North America, Indianapolis International Airport was honored as the region’s best airport.

Fast Facts:
- The following airports were named Best Airport by Region: Mauritius (Africa), Seoul Incheon (Asia-Pacific), Keflavik (Europe), Guayaquil (Latin America-Caribbean), Amman (Middle East), Indianapolis (North America).

- The following airports were named Best Airport by Size: Guayaquil (2–5 million passengers annually), Haikou (5–15 million), Seoul Gimpo (15–25 million), New Delhi (25–40 million), Seoul Incheon (over 40 million)

- The following airports were named Best Improvement by Region: Mauritius (Africa), Kolkata (Asia-Pacific), St. Petersburg (Europe), Santo Domingo (Latin America-Caribbean), San Antonio (North America)

What They Are Saying:
“Airports are more than simply points of departure and arrival,” said Angela Gittens, director general of ACI. “They are complex businesses in their own right. As such, a focus on serving the passenger has become increasingly important to ensuring success. In the fast-changing landscape of worldwide aviation, the airport service quality survey is the key to understanding how to increase passenger satisfaction and improve business performance.”