Originally posted by ^tamago^:
[b]Changi gets a wake-up
call
Pipped by KL airport in honours list as competition hots
up
Wednesday March 14, 2007
Leong Wee Keat
[email protected]
SINGAPORE'S gateway to the skies has been brought back to earth by
an upstart in its own backyard.
Often acknowledged as the world's best airport it swept 25
international awards last year Changi finds itself in the
unfamiliar position of being pipped in the rankings by Kuala Lumpur
International Airport (KLIA).
When the Airports Council International (ACI) announced its service
quality awards yesterday, KLIA came out top in the "15 to 25
million passengers per year" category.
Changi, which handled a record 35 million passengers last year,
finished second in the category for bigger airports those
handling under 40 million passengers behind South Korea's
Incheon.
But in the race for the overall prize Best Airport Worldwide
Incheon finished first, Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok second, KLIA third
and Changi fourth.
With 573 members operating more than 1,643 airports, ACI is the
global trade organisation for the airport community and its list
cannot be scoffed at.
Analysts said that KLIA's achievement comes as a wake-up call to
Changi at a time when the chase for tourist dollars is hotting up
and several cities are trying to position themselves as air
hubs.
As far back as 2004, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew had stressed the
importance of this when asked about the threat of budget carriers
to Singapore Airlines. Mr Lee said then: "My job is to see that
Singapore's position as an air hub is not lost. And if budget
airlines were to eat up Singapore Airlines' profits but retain
Singapore as a hub ... so be it."
Analysts pointed out that while Singapore had set the benchmark
with its airport, cities like Dubai and Kuala Lumpur were now
copying the template making it imperative for Changi to move even
faster.
The awards measured the performance of various airports based on
service quality, facilities and passengers' feedback. In the 2005
survey, Changi had finished second behind Incheon, while KLIA was
third.
Determined to turn the tables last year, the Malaysian airport
planned its assault on the award systematically.
"There are 28 features in the ACI survey and we had to monitor each
feature to ensure that we did not slip behind," said Malaysia
Airports Holdings managing director Bashir Ahmad.
"This is a very nice feeling," said Mr Bashir of edging out its
southern neighbour in the list. "As you all know, we are always
compared to Changi Airport and it's nice to know that we have done
very well this particular year."
There was no response from the Civil Aviation Authority of
Singapore by press time.
While aviation analysts said that awards could be subjective, some
were surprised by the turnaround. "I thought Changi did quite well
last year," aviation consultant Prithpal Singh told Today. "In
terms of facilities, efficiency and comfort, Changi is second to
none."
Last year, the signs were particularly encouraging. More than 7.2
million airline passengers surveyed by London-based market
researcher Skytrax helped Changi win its first Skytrax Airport of
the Year award. Britain's Business Traveller magazine voted it the
best airport for the 19th straight year. Its weekly flights reached
a record high of 4,199.
The fact that KLIA has sneaked ahead in this particular survey
underlines the constant need for improvement, analysts said.
Even minor things like shops being understaffed or hiring
unhelpful sales staff could sway perceptions, Mr Singh said. "You
cannot ignore this ranking. Basically it shows that we need to put
more emphasis on this human aspect," he added.
Just last week, Transport Minister Raymond Lim said in Parliament
that the "software" aspects of the "Changi Experience" would be
strengthened. When Terminal 3 opens its doors next year, Changi's
handling capacity will rise by about 45 per cent to 67 million
passengers a year, he said, adding that the airport "will also
continue to provide training for frontline staff to ensure that the
highest service standards are maintained".
This was critical as airports sought to attract transit passengers
as well as tourist, said Flight International's regional managing
editor Nicholas Ionides.
Mr Peter Harbison, executive chairman of the Centre for
Asia-Pacific Aviation, said: "There is a great deal at stake for
airports, for their airlines and for the national economy.
"This has been recognised in Singapore by the importance attached
to the success of Changi. Its neighbours will continue to be tough
competitors, although Changi has set the benchmark in the
past."[/b]
