APA1 2025 NEWS

Fantastic journey!

Joe Bates 21st April 2025

The impressive performance of Asia-Pacific and Middle East airports in ACI’s ASQ Airport Experience Awards demonstrates their commitment to customer service excellence, writes Joe Bates.

Airports big and small from across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East once again led the way in ACI’s annual ASQ Airport Experience Awards, winning a total of 68 accolades across the different categories.

Indeed, ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East airports accounted for 35 of the 95 award winning airports recognised by passengers for delivering the best customer experience on the planet.

Familiar names on the winner’s podium included the big international hubs of Delhi-Indira Gandhi (DEL), Incheon (INC), Shanghai Pudong (PVG) and Singapore Changi (SIN).

But the awards, conducted in partnership with travel technology company Amadeus, also recognised excellence in airport customer experience at some of the smaller and less known airports in the world such as Pattimura (AMQ) and Supadio (PNK) in Indonesia, Kannur (CNN) in India, and Zhangjiakou (ZQZ) in China.

This year, 10 airports from Indonesia won awards across categories, while eight airports in China and seven from India were recognised for service excellence.

Other awards were assigned to airports in South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and Philippines, while in the Middle East, six airports were recognised, including two from Oman and one from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi.

The awards covered six different categories – Best Airports by Size and Region; Most Dedicated Staff; Easiest Airport Journey; Most Enjoyable Airport; Cleanest Airport; and Top Airports for Arrivals.

The top performers in the Best Airports by Size in Asia-Pacific for airports handling Over 40mppa in 2024 were Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (BOM), Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN), Incheon (ICN), Delhi-Indira Gandhi (DEL), Shanghai Pudong (PVG), Shenzhen Bao’an (SZX), Sinagpore Changi (SIN) and Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta (CGK).

Talking about DEL’s achievement in winning an ASQ Award for the seventh successive year, CEO Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, said: “We are incredibly proud to receive this recognition.

“This award reflects our continuous efforts to elevate the travel experience at Delhi International Airport. From seamless processes to exceptional passenger service, all with a constant focus on sustainability, our dedicated team and stakeholders work relentlessly to ensure every passenger’s journey is smooth and memorable.

“This award is further validation of our ongoing commitment to improving the passenger experience, enhancing operational excellence, and promoting Delhi International Airport as an aviation hub welcoming travellers from around the globe.”

Almost all of the awards had multiple winners, the rare exception being the 25-40mppa category in Asia-Pacific, where China’s Beijing Daxing (PKX) and Qingdao-Jiaodong (TAO) airports couldn’t be separated.

In the global Top Airports for Arrivals category, Bengaluru-Kempegowda (BLR) won again, although this year it had to share the honour with Bahrain (BAH), Mangaluru (IXE) and Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport (AUH).

Commenting on BAH’s success, Bahrain Airport Company’s CEO, Mohamed Yousif Al-Binfalah, noted: “This ASQ Award is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the entire BAC team and our valued partners.

“We are proud to be recognised by ACI for our commitment to delivering a world-class arrival experience for our passengers. This achievement reflects our ongoing efforts to enhance every aspect of the passengers’ journey, from the moment they step off the plane to the time they leave the airport.”

The category for airports with the Most Dedicated Staff saw Oman’s Muscat (MCT) and Salalah (SLL) triumph in the Middle East, while six airports shared the honour for the Asia-Pacific region – Beijing Daxing (PKX), Shenzhen Bao’an (SZX), Singapore Changi (SIN), Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman (BPN), Sultan Hasanuddin (UPG) and Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II (PLM).

MCT and SLL repeated their success in the Easiest Airport Journey in the Middle East category, although it was a slightly different tale in Asia-Pacific where PKX, SIN, BPN and UPG were joined by Juanda (SUB) and Shijiazhuang Zhengding (SJW) from Indonesia and China respectively.

The much coveted Most Enjoyable Airport saw Singapore Changi, Beijing Daxing and Indonedia’s SUB, BPN, UPG and PLM recognised for their efforts, while Jordan’s Queen Alia (AMM) and Salalah again tasted victory in the Middle East.

Airport International Group (AIG) CEO, Nicolas Deviller, enthused: “Receiving the ‘Most Enjoyable Airport in the Middle East’ title for the second time and renewing Level 3 of our Airport Customer Experience Accreditation are both testaments to our unwavering commitment to enhancing the passenger journey and creating an environment that is both welcoming and convenient.

“Since the inauguration of the Terminal Building 12 years ago, we have continuously adapted to the evolving needs of our passengers, ensuring that Queen Alia remains synonymous with comfort and enjoyment and a place where passengers feel at home from the moment they arrive.

“These achievements are a reflection of the dedication of our entire airport community, whose collective efforts have once again been recognised by those who matter most – our passengers. We sincerely thank them for their trust and recognition.”

It was pretty much the same again for both regions for Cleanest Airport category, with Oman’s MCT and SLL winning in the Middle East and the only new on the list for Asia-Pacific being Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN), which joined Beijing, Changi, Juanda, Shenzhen Bao’an, Shijiazhuang Zhengding, Sultan Aji Muhammad and Sultan Hasanuddin.

The awards reflect the dedication of airports to enhance customer experience through smart technology, service innovation, and passenger-centric design.

ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East’s director general, Stefano Baronci, said: “As air traffic in Asia-Pacific and Middle East combined is expected to triple from 3.9 billion to almost 11 billion passengers over the next two decades, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable journey is paramount.

“The fact that 36% of the total awards have been assigned to airports on our Region is testament that airports in Asia-Pacific and Middle East are turning challenges into opportunities by embracing digital transformation, investing in infrastructure, and prioritising service excellence. Congratulations to all the winning airports.”

There is certainly no doubting that the awards highlight the region’s commitment to delivering world-class airport experiences amid rapid passenger growth.

From a global perspective, the 2024 ASQ winners included Dakar Blaise Diagne, Casablanca Mohammed V Airport and Marrakech Menara Airport in Africa; Copenhagen, iGA Istanbul, Rome Fiumicino and Zurich in Europe; Guadalajara, Lynden Pindling, Monterrey and Quito in Latin-America-Caribbean; and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, Dallas Fort Worth, LaGuardia and Toronto Pearson in North America.

Last year marked a milestone for the ASQ programme, with almost 700,000 surveys filled, and over half of the world’s travellers passing through an ASQ-rated airport, underscoring the programme’s pivotal role in shaping global service standards.

A record-breaking 181 ASQ Awards were presented to 95 airports across the globe, recognising their commitment to exceptional passenger experience.

The airports to win multiple awards across the different categories included Dakar Blaise Diagne International Airport in Africa; Beijing Daxing and Singapore Changi in Asia-Pacific; Milas-Bodrum and Rome Fiumicino in Europe; Chihuahua and Monterrey in Latin-America-Caribbean; Muscat and Salalah in the Middle East; and Gerald R Ford and Greenville-Spartanburg in North America.

While inductees to the ACI World Director General’s Roll of Excellence – one of the highest honours in the airport industry, recognsing airports that have consistently excelled in service over the past decade – included Alicante–Elche Airport, Beijing Daxing, Copenhagen, Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport.

ACI World’s director general, Justin Erbacci, said: “In today’s fast-evolving world, where passenger expectations are higher than ever, airports must continually push the boundaries of service to stay ahead.

“The 2024 ASQ Awards honour airports that create memorable, seamless experiences that transform the entire passenger journey and help shape the future of air travel.”

The ASQ Awards are based on the aviation industry’s most comprehensive and trusted global measurement programme for airport experience.

This unique programme gathers real-time feedback from travellers through live surveys at airports worldwide. Its rigorous methodology ensures accurate representation of a diverse range of passenger experiences, making it the only survey that enables fair airport comparisons.

The 2024 ASQ Awards Ceremony will take place at the ACI World Airport Experience Summit in Guangzhou, China, in September (8-11) 2025.

ASIA-PACIFIC: BEST BY SIZE AND REGION

UNDER 2 MILLION PASSENGERS PER YEAR

Kannur International Airport (Kannur, India)

Pattimura International Airport (Ambon, Indonesia)

Zhangjiakou Ningyuan Airport (Zhangjiakou, China)

2 TO 5 MILLION PASSENGERS PER YEAR

Chandigarh Airport (Chandigarh, India)

Jenderal Ahmad Yani International Airport (Semarang, Indonesia)

Langkawi International Airport (Langkawi, Malaysia)

Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Airport (Palembang, Indonesia)

Supadio Airport (Pontianak, Indonesia)