UAE airports scoop top regional awards from Airports Council International
The ASQ Survey is part of ACI’s Airport Service Quality Initiative - a global initiative to improve the passenger experience at airports worldwide. In 2011, over 350,000 passengers were interviewed prior to boarding their flight and asked to rate their satisfaction with the airport that day. To be eligible for the annual ASQ awards, an airport must have participated in the ASQ Survey every month of the year.
Dubai Airport was named as the winner with near neighbour Abu Dhabi runners-up. Tel Aviv Airport was rated third.
“Dubai Airports’ vision is to be the world’s leading airport company. To deliver these goals we are committed to the provision of top flight infrastructure, efficient systems and processes along with a coordinated approach led by people who are utterly dedicated to taking care of our customers.” said Paul Griffiths, CEO Dubai Airports.
Eng. Ahmad Al Haddabi, ADAC's COO said: “We are honored to have received this outstanding recognition for the second year running. The ASQ Awards have a real importance to us since the passengers actually decide on the winners, ranking Abu Dhabi International Airport once again as the second best airport in the Middle East. This recognition marks the airport’s success during one of its most difficult years, 2011, as it carried out the Terminal 1 refurbishment and yet still maintained full operation while keeping high end service quality.”
In 2011, Abu Dhabi's Terminal 1 went through extensive refurbishment works which was designed to expand its passenger handling capacity and ensure the delivery of quality service and experience across the airport. During the construction works, the project was carefully undertaken while maintaining quality service in all its offerings a fact that which was reflected in the results of the survey.
Meanwhile 150km down the road in Dubai, rapid growth also created challenges but despite this customer service remained a high priority. The airport brought on board bilingual ‘virtual assistants’ to communicate important travel information to the 50 million plus passengers that pass through the airport each year. The state-of-the-art digital signage solutions use the very latest technology to create the illusion of a real person, conveying helpful security and brand messages.
Dubai Airports also unveiled a mobile application for Apple and Android devices. Called myDXB, the application provides information on flights and gate numbers as well as way-finding to locate customer-facing services across the three terminals of Dubai International. It also became the first airport in the region to introduce ‘snoozecubes’, state-of-the-art modular sleeping pods that offer travellers comfort, privacy, entertainment and connectivity.
Finally, the airport grew its famous ‘May I Help You’ service. The new, expanded team comprised of over 250 staff whose job is to help ensure customers can pass through the airport as quickly as possible.
The best airport in the world totle was awarded to Seoul's Incheon Airport for the seventh year in a row, with Singapore Airport named as runner-up. Beijing was third.
Since its creation in 2006, the ASQ Survey has become the world’s leading airport passenger satisfaction benchmark with over 200 airports participating. Its scientific methodology, strict quality control procedures and commitment to impartiality have won industry recognition and established the ASQ Survey as the global standard for measuring passenger satisfaction.
The ASQ Awards are the only global airport rankings to be based on a measure of the passengers’ satisfaction taken while the passenger is still at the gate. In 2011, over 350,000 passengers were interviewed prior to boarding their flight and asked to rate their satisfaction with the airport that day.
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