Singapore's Changi Airport lands 5 awards for Best Airport

CHANGI Airport has clinched five awards from major international travel publications and websites this month, including four 'Best Airport' titles.

Readers of the United Kingdom edition of the renowned Business Traveller magazine have voted Singapore's airport as the best in the world for the 22nd year running.

The Asia-Pacific edition of the same magazine, which prints 10 issues a year, has given Changi Airport the same accolade - for the 18th consecutive year.

Other awards this month ranked Changi Airport as the best in terms of duty-free shopping and eating.

Changi's reputation took a hit several months ago when a global survey of 190 airports pegged it as only the third best, behind Seoul and Hong Kong.

There were also concerns among industry observers that the recent corporatisation of airport operations here, which led to the creation of the Changi Airport Group, might lead to an emphasis on the bottom line at the expense of customer service.

The group's chief executive, Mr Lee Seow Hiang, said: 'Despite the increasingly competitive operating landscape, we are heartened that Changi Airport continues to win such airport awards every year. We appreciate the very strong support that travellers worldwide continue to give us.'

This month's five awards bring Changi Airport's list of accolades this year to 17.

Since its opening in 1981, Changi has won more than 300 airport awards.