KLIA bags Three Global Awards at Airports Council International-Airport Service Quality Awards 2006

The KL International Airport (KLIA) has emerged as one of the biggest winners at the Airports Council International-Airport Service Quality (ACI-ASQ) Awards 2006.

KLIA netted three awards in separate categories at the award presentation on Monday.

It won in the Best Airport in the 15 million to 25 million passengers per annum category, third place in the regional Best Airport in Asia-Pacific category, and third place in the Best Airport Worldwide category.

Seoul's Incheon Airport and Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok took the first and second spots for the Best Airport in Asia-Pacific and Best Airport Worldwide categories.

Eighty-one airports participated in the 2006 ASQ survey organised by the ACI. It measures airports' performance based on service quality, facilities and passenger feedback.

KLIA has won the awards in the same three categories since 2005, but this time it managed to surpass Singapore’s Changi Airport, which fell to fourth place in the Best Airport in Asia-Pacific and Best Airport Worldwide categories.

Bashir Ahmad with the awards

Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) managing director Datuk Seri Bashir Ahmad said it was a “nice feeling'' to be ahead of Singapore as KLIA was constantly being compared with Changi Airport.

“We hope to progress from here,” he said, adding that KLIA would aim for top ranking in the Best Airport in Asia-Pacific and Best Airport Worldwide categories.

While there was recognition for industry players, the ACI-ASQ Awards 2006 was important, given that it was “a true reflection of service levels,” he told reporters after the award presentation.

Bashir added that it was also an indication that KLIA emphasised both service levels as well as infrastructure.

“We will continue to improve in areas that we need to improve on, and maintain performance in the areas of our strength,” he said.

The airport operator would conduct internal surveys to benchmark the performance of all the airports under its charge against international standards, he said.

“We hope to include all the international airports in Malaysia (besides KLIA) in the ACI-ASQ survey in the next few years,” he added.

Source : STAR
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