What Makes Singapore’s Changi Airport So Fantastic?
Singapore Changi has won the Best Airport Award for the fifth year running, beating stiff opposition from air hubs such as Hong Kong, Tokyo and Incheon.
But what's the secret to Changi's success? And does it really matter how well-run or pleasant an airport is?
All-encompassing service
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Clearly, the management at Changi are dedicated to providing passengers with an efficient, enjoyable experience – and maintaining its reputation as the best airport in the world. Even second-placed Hong Kong is considered to be fairly off the pace, unable to rival Changi's all-encompassing service – which makes departing, arriving or transferring a joy rather than a chore.
Changi also won Best Airport in Asia and Best Airport for Leisure, while missing out on World's Cleanest Airport, which went to Tokyo (Changi was 6th) and Best Airport Service, which went to Taiwan's Taoyuan (Changi was fourth).
The 2017 World Airport Awards are organised by UK-based Skytrax and are the result of 13.82 million customer nominations from 105 nationalities. 550 airports took part in the survey, which looked at numerous key performance indicators, including check-in, arrivals, transfer, duty free and shopping, immigration and security.
“Passengers at the heart”
Mr Lee Seow Hiang, CEO of Changi Airport Group said: "Winning the Skytrax World's Best Airport Award for the fifth consecutive year is immense encouragement to our 50,000-strong airport community at Changi Airport, every one of whom is passionate about delivering the most memorable airport experience to our passengers.
"This recognition affirms our service belief which we have held steadfast all these years - putting passengers at the heart of all we do. While we expand our facilities to serve more passengers in the coming years, we will continue to work closely with all our airport partners to further enhance the Changi Experience."
For an airport, efficiency is a very important quality – and is a pre-requisite for any airport to feature on the Skytrax top 10. But what puts Changi airport ahead of the competition is the little (and not so little) extras.
“One doesn't need to be rich”
As one Quora contributor and former Singapore resident pointed out, equality is a key principle of Singapore - and it is bound up in Changi's design and management. In effect this means that people are treated with equal respect, even economy class passengers can enjoy a wide range of amenities for free – and without having to stump up for an airport lounge.
This approach stands in stark contrast to airports such as Heathrow, where you would have to pay significant sums for things like foot massages and to be in pleasant, tranquil waiting areas. A cynical person might suggest Heathrow's cramped passenger areas are designed to upsell lounge access. Indeed, cash is king in Europe's busiest passenger hub: the only area in which Heathrow came first was shopping.
But in Changi, things are different. In her Quora answer, Koyel Bandyopadhyay said: "One doesn't need to be rich to enjoy the relaxing space one deserves from long hauls, or could get only in frequent flyer lounges of other airports.”
Plants, ponds and waterfalls
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Among the highlights of a visit to Changi are polite, helpful staff; absorbing art installations; ponds; numerous leafy plants on display; free water fountains; and free mobile charging stations. You can even rate the toilet after use via a special screen and if you don't like it someone will come to your assistance.
And by 2018 it will have its own indoor waterfall – the tallest in the world.
All we need is love
What Changi possesses that many other airports do not – arguably – is a little bit of love. Rather than a group of anonymous people to be herded through the airport while being overcharged for the most basic commodities, it seems that at Changi they want you to stay for as long as possible.
Indeed, it's easy to imagine that one of the main draws of flying away from Singapore for a weekend break is that you get to enjoy this fantastic airport, which, in a world where air travel is becoming more stressful by the year, offers a little slice of travel heaven.
The airport is a deeply embedded feature of the globalised world – one that could be greatly improved if other airports followed Changi's lead.
2017 Skytrax World Airport Awards
1. Singapore Changi Airport
2. Tokyo International Airport (Haneda)
3. Incheon International Airport (Seoul, South Korea)
4. Munich Airport (Germany)
5. Hong Kong International Airport
6. Hamad International Airport (Doha, Qatar)
7. Chubu Centrair Nagoya (Japan)
8. Zurich Airport (Switzerland)
9. London Heathrow Airport
10. Frankfurt Airport (Germany)
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