Airports Council International (ACI) has completed its annual survey of airport service quality and the top awards for best airports worldwide have gone to airports in the Asia-Pacific region. Seoul Incheon International Airport ranked best for the fifth straight year. How did other airports do?

ACI named the top performing airports for 2009 for each of the 6 regional categories and 5 traffic size categories (see table below). It also announced the best improved airports in each region, recognizing those airports having made the most progress in improving service quality.

In its press release, ACI identified ten factors as essential for high customer service. They are, by order of importance: the ambience of the airport, cleanliness of the terminal, comfort of the waiting areas, availability of washrooms, cleanliness of washrooms, courtesy and helpfulness of the airport staff, business lounges, ease of making connections, passport / ID inspection experience and good shopping facilities.

Here is how the airports ranked:

Best airports – worldwide:

1. Incheon (ICN)
2. Singapore (SIN)
3. Hong Kong (HKG)
4. Beijing (PEK)
5. Hyderabad (HYD)

Best improved by region:

• Africa – Cairo (CAI)
• Asia-Pacific – New Delhi (DEL)
• Europe – Ponta Delgada (PDL)
• Latin America/Caribbean – Cancún (CUN)
• Middle East – Abu Dhabi (AUH)
• North America – Cleveland (CLE)

Top 5 by region
Africa	Asia-Pacific	Europe
1) George (GRJ)	1) Incheon (ICN)	1) Keflavik (KEF)
2) Johannesburg (JNB)	2) Singapore (SIN)	2) Zurich (ZRH)
3) Cairo (CAI)	3) Hong Kong (HKG)	3) Porto (OPO)
4) Port Elizabeth (PLZ)	4) Beijing (PEK)	4) Malta (MLA)
5) Durban (DUR)	5) Hyderabad (HYD)	5) Southampton (SOU)
Latin America/Caribbean	Middle East	North America
1) Cancun (CUN)	1) Tel Aviv (TLV)	1) Austin (AUS)
2) Guayaquil (GYE)	2) Dubai (DXB)	2) Halifax (YHZ)
3) Barbados (BGI)	3) Abu Dhabi (AUH)	3) Ottawa (YOW)
4) Mexico City (MEX)	4) Doha (DOH)	4) Jacksonville (JAX)
5) Montego Bay (MBJ)	5) Muscat (MCT)	5) Portland (PWM)
Top airports by passenger numbers
fewer than 5 million	5 – 15 million	15 – 25 million
1) Halifax (YHZ)	1) Hyderabad (HYD)	1) Baltimore/Wash. (BWI)
2) Ottawa (YOW)	2) Austin (AUS)	2) Taipei (TPE)
3) Portland (PWM)	3) Cancun (CUN)	3) Shenzhen (SZX)
4) Guayaquil (GYE)	4) Nagoya (NGO)	4) New Delhi ( DEL )
5) Jackson (JAN)	5) Jacksonville (JAX)	5) Salt Lake City (SLC)
25 – 40 million	over 40 million
1) Incheon (ICN)	1) Hong Kong (HKG)
2) Singapore (SIN)	2) Beijing (PEK)
3) Tokyo Narita (NRT)	3) Denver (DEN)
4) Kuala Lumpur (KUL)	4) Dallas Fort Worth (DFW)
5) Shanghai Pudong (PVG)	5) Houston - Bush (IAH)

Source: Airports Council International