Singapore takes back the crown and becomes the world's best airport again. Fiumicino in the top15
I had written this when it was passed by Doha, the pandemic over and back in the normal world the Changi of [...]
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I had written it when it had been overtaken by Doha, ended the pandemic and returned to the normal world the Singapore's Changi would take back the top position as the world's best airport, and it did. The ranking is the result of interviews conducted by Skytrax, which every year celebrates the Worlds Airports Awards, as per tradition i World's best airports for 2023 according to passengers are in Asia and Europe.
Singapore Changi is the new number one
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For the 12th time, the Asian city-state's airport returns to be crowned the world's best airport And never has an award been more deserved than this.
Not only is the Jewel a unique and unrepeatable added value for an airport, but it is the quality of services offered throughout the airport facility that makes the difference between this airport and all others. From the quality of the lounges of the various airlines, starting right from that of Qatar Airways. to services such as early check-in and in general to all that one of the world's busiest airports offers.
Changi had lost the title simply because during the pandemic first it actually closed down, then when it reopened it did so with a very strict protocol, almost military, and only in November 2021 began to return to normal.
Lee Seow Hiang, managing director of Changi Airport Group, said.: "Changi Airport is honored to be named the world's best airport for the 12th time. This recognition is a great encouragement to our airport community, which has remained firmly united over the past two years to combat the challenges of Covid-19. We thank them for their dedication to serving Changi's passengers and perseverance in keeping Singapore connected to the world. To our passengers, we are deeply grateful for your vote of confidence. Your continued support encourages us to continue to strive for service excellence as we expand our offerings to redefine the Changi experience. We look forward to welcoming everyone to Changi Airport as we rediscover the magic of travel once again."
The overall ranking
Behind Singapore ends up with Doha airport., which held the top position for two years after snatching it right away from Singapore. The Qatar Airways hub loses the crown, but it does not give up is thanks to the new area opened just for the World Cup is ready to give Changi a run for its money.
The new area called Orchard, strange case as Singapore's most famous street, is a magnificent biosphere under a glass and steel dome surrounded by stores, commercial spaces. Passengers can relax in a park amid hundreds of plants and birds as they wait for their flight. A whole series of new lounges have also been opened here to even better accommodate all departing passengers.
However, the surprises begin from the 3rd position onward, with some results that frankly leave me dumbfounded.
On the lowest step of the podium is Tokyo Haneda, Tokyo's "city" airport last year occupied second place, despite being closed to passengers from halfway around the world for more than two years and has only begun to populate again since the month of October when Japan reopened its borders. Here certainly contributes to the ranking the excellence of services, cleanliness and care of guests as only in the Rising Sun can do.
At the foot of the podium instead is Seoul's main port of call Incheon, I admit that it has been so many years since I have passed through this airport and I don't have great information, certain is that like the rest of Asia, South Korea has been closed much more than other airports. In 2022 it was in 5th place and so it went up one position.
The fifth position, however, is an incredible surprise, even more incredible after what happened last summer. Paris' Charles De Gaulle continues to climb and advances from sixth to fifth in the rankings. Evidently the chaos, lost suitcases, and hours in line have not hurt the reputation of the Paris airport.
Istanbul airport's climb up the rankings continues, rising again from eighth to sixth position. I think, at the very least, this airport should be on the podium. The fact that it is behind an airport like Paris is an inexplicable mystery except, perhaps, for political reasons.
Seventh place for Munich airport. maintaining last year's position, Lufthansa's second hub is confirmed as the milgiest airport in Germany.
Zurich airport goes up one position., hubs for Edelweiss Air and Swiss International Airlines. While it continues to the (unhappy) decline of Tokyo Narita which plunges from 4th to 9th position. With the growth of Haneda and the abandonment of this airport by many airlines I predict that in 2024 it will be out of the top10 as well.
Madrid airport closes the top10., the Spanish capital's airport has climbed an impressive 10 positions in the space of two years and now occupies the number 10 box.
Out of the top 10 by a whisker is Vienna, Austrian's hub, continues to grow as Madrid and will firm in 11th position a jump of 8 places from the 2022 ranking.
The war between Russia and Ukraine has severely damaged airlines, the hardest hit certainly being Finnair. However, this did not create problems at the airport in Helsinki remaining firmly in 12th position, One less than last year.
Fiumicino is the most improved airport in 2023. Last year it was in 36th position, and now, thanks in part to the opening of the new Terminal 1 goes up to the 13th square, an incredible achievement considering the weakness of Italy's flag carrier, all airports ahead of Rome in fact can boast a very strong flag carrier, as well as significant traffic from all other world carriers.
Closing the top15 are Copenhagen Airport and Kansai Airport in Japan.
Who disappeared from the top15
As can be seen, there is no U.S. airport in the top 15, the best being Seattle-Tacoma, which closes in 18th position. Dubai, despite Emirates, slips out of the top 15 and ranks 17th.
Vanishing from the top positions are Amsterdam, Heathrow and Hong Kong. The first two because of the disastrous summer dubbed Airmageddon, the third pays for the extremely strict preventive measures that only reopened travel to passengers in early 2023.
Final considerations
Singapore deserves the first position and Doha the second. Istanbul should be on the podium, while I don't understand how Paris can be so high. Endless queues, very few independent lounges in terminal 2, and in terminal 1 the situation is even worse. Frankly, Haneda is a boring airport, it has nothing to justify such a high ranking, and in general I think it affects the sample used for this survey, otherwise it would not explain the position of an airport that until the fall was open to transit and domestic traffic.
