Asq Airport Experience Awards: Going The Extra Mile

Airports across the globe have been recognised for their customer service excellence in ACI’s ASQ Airport Experience Awards, writes Joe Bates.

ACI World’s 2024 ASQ Airport Experience Awards have revealed last year’s top performing airports for the delivery of outstanding customer service.

The roll of honour includes airports handling less than two million passengers per annum up to some of the biggest hubs on the planet, such as Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL), which welcomed 87.8 million and 108 million passengers respectively in 2024.

Dakar Blaise Diagne (DSS), Casablanca Mohammed V Airport (CMN) and Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK) were the star performers in Africa and Salalah Airport (SLL) and Muscat (MCT) in the  Middle East.

In the ultra competitive rest of the world, the 2024 winners included Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN), Incheon (ICN) and Delhi-Indira Gandhi (DEL) in Asia-Pacific; iGA Istanbul (IST) and Rome Fiumicino (FCO) in Europe; Chihuahua (CUU), Guadalajara (GDL) and Quito (UIO) in Latin America-Caribbean; and Toronto Pearson (YYZ), LaGuardia (LGA) and Tampa (TPA) in North America.

The awards are viewed as the benchmark for excellence in airport customer experience as they are decided by passengers interviewed at airports on the day of travel.

Carried out in partnership with travel technology company Amadeus, the 2024 awards covered six different categories – Best Airports by Size and Region; Most Dedicated Staff; Easiest Airport Journey; Most Enjoyable Airport; Cleanest Airport; and Top Airports for Arrivals.

ACI World’s director general, Justin Erbacci, noted: “In today’s fast-evolving world, where passenger expectations are higher than ever, airports must continually push the boundaries of service to stay ahead.

“The 2024 ASQ Awards honour airports that create memorable, seamless experiences that transform the entire passenger journey and help shape the future of air travel.”

With the exception of the global Top Airports for Arrivals category – which was shared by Bengaluru-Kempegowda (BLR), Bahrain (BAH), Mangaluru (IXE) and Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport (AUH) – all the ASQ categories were regionalised.

Commenting on BAH’s success in the Top Airports for Arrivals Award, Bahrain Airport Company’s CEO, Mohamed Yousif Al-Binfalah, noted: “This ASQ Award is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the entire BAC team and our valued partners.

“We are proud to be recognised by ACI for our commitment to delivering a world-class arrival experience for our passengers. This achievement reflects our ongoing efforts to enhance every aspect of the passengers’ journey, from the moment they step off the plane to the time they leave the airport.”

North America

The Best in Size and Region category for North America followed a similar pattern to recent years in terms of the winners.

ATL, DFW and YYZ, for example, again triumphed in the Over 40mppa; LaGuardia (LGA) in the 25-40mppa; and Dallas Love Field (DAL) and Tampa (TPA) sharing the honours for airports handling 15-25mppa.

“Travelling through DFW isn’t just about getting from one place to another – it’s about experiencing exceptional service at every step,” stated DFW’s executive vice president for revenue management and customer experience, Ken Buchanan.

“The ASQ award reflects our team’s dedication to making every journey smooth, enjoyable and memorable for our customers. This continued recognition from our customers highlights the impact of our investments in innovation, infrastructure and people – which together create exceptional airport experiences every day.”

While ATL’s interim general manager, Jan Lennon, noted: “This award is a reflection of the dedication of our incredible airport team, whose passion and commitment make ATL a world-class gateway for millions of travellers.

“Every journey that begins or ends at ATL is shaped by the hard work and hospitality of our employees. This recognition fuels our mission to set new standards of excellence, ensuring that every passenger who walks through our doors experiences exemplary customer service.”

Other big winners were Gerald R Ford International Airport (GRR) and Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP) and Portland International Jetport (PWM), which in addition to repeating their success in the Best in Size category, jointly shared all the other awards for airports in North America handling between 2-5mppa.

GRR’s president and CEO, Tory Richardson, said: “We are delighted to once again receive these ASQ awards, acknowledging our efforts to offer a world-class guest experience at the Ford International Airport.

“In 2024, we experienced record growth with more than four million passengers served and are beyond grateful to our staff and partners for helping provide an exceptional travel experience throughout our facility.”

Other Best by Size winners included Canadian gateways St John’s (YYT) and Victoria (YYJ) for airport handling Under 2mppa and perennial winners Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky (CVG), Indianapolis (IND) and Louis Armstrong-New Orleans (MSY) in the 5-15mppa category.

Asia-Pacific & Middle East

Asia-Pacific and the Middle East regions once again led the way in ACI’s annual ASQ Airport Experience Awards, winning a total of 68 accolades across the different categories.

Indeed, ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East airports accounted for 35 of the 95 award winning airports recognised by passengers for delivering the best customer experience on the planet.

Familiar names on the winner’s podium included the big international hubs of Beijing Daxing (PKX), Delhi-Indira Gandhi (DEL), Incheon (INC), Shanghai Pudong (PVG) and Singapore Changi (SIN).

But the awards also recognised excellence in airport customer experience at some of the smaller and less known airports across Asia-Pacific, such as Pattimura (AMQ) and Supadio (PNK) in Indonesia, Kannur (CNN) in India, and Zhangjiakou (ZQZ) in China.

This year, 10 airports from Indonesia won awards across the categories, while eight airports from China and seven from India were recognised for service excellence.

Other awards were assigned to airports in South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and Philippines, while in the Middle East, six airports were recognised, including two from Oman and one from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi.

Talking about DEL’s achievement in being among the eight gateways to be recognised in the Best by Size category for airports handling Over 40mppa in Asia-Pacific, CEO, Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, said: “We are incredibly proud to receive this recognition.

“This award reflects our continuous efforts to elevate the travel experience at Delhi International Airport.

“From seamless processes to exceptional passenger service, all with a constant focus on sustainability, our dedicated team and stakeholders work relentlessly to ensure every passenger’s journey is smooth and memorable.

“This award is further validation of our ongoing commitment to improving the passenger experience, enhancing operational excellence, and promoting Delhi International Airport as an aviation hub welcoming travellers from around the globe.”

Oman’s Muscat (MCT) and Salalah (SLL) effectively enjoyed a clean sweep in the Middle East, winning multiple awards across all the categories, although SLL had to share the Best Airport by Size and Region award for airports handling Under 2mppa with Najran Airport (EAM) in Saudi Arabia.

Acting CEO of Oman Airports, Hamoud bin Musbah Al Alawi, enthused:“We prioritise passenger comfort at Oman Airports as MCT and SLL serve as the first gateway for travellers arriving in the Sultanate of Oman and the final touchpoint before their departure.

“Ensuring high-quality service is a core principle within Oman Airports’ operational framework. Since the establishment of our operations, we have defined clear operational guidelines for all employees to ensure that passengers remain our top priority at all times. Today, we are witnessing the rewards of these continuous efforts after years of dedicated work.”

Queen Alia International Airport (AMM) shared the award for Most Enjoyable Airport in the Middle East with Salalah.

Nicolas Deviller, CEO of Queen Alia operator, Airport International Group (AIG), noted: “Since the inauguration of the Terminal Building 12 years ago, we have continuously adapted to the evolving needs of our passengers, ensuring that QAIA remains synonymous with comfort and enjoyment and a place where passengers feel at home from the moment they arrive.

“These achievements are a reflection of the dedication of our entire airport community, whose collective efforts have once again been recognised by those who matter most – our passengers. We sincerely thank them for their trust and recognition.”

Africa

South Africa’s Bram Fischer (BFN) and George (GRJ) airports along with Ivato (TNR) in Madagascar were named Best Airport by Size in the Under 2mppa category.

Dakar Blaise Diagne (DSS) in Senegal and Sri Lanka’s Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) shared the 2-5mppa award and Morocco’s Casablanca (CMN) and Marrakech (RAK) airports took the 5-15mppa prize.

Between them CMN and DSS shared all the other award categories for Africa with the exception of Easiest Airport Journey, which was won by Dakar Blaise Diagne and George.

Europe

Rome Fiumicino’s success in every Departures category for Europe in the 2024 ASQ Awards should come as no surprise to anyone based on its levels of innovation, particularly when it comes to embracing new technology to enhance the customer experience.

Operator, Aeroporti de Roma (ADR), notes that it is the eighth year in a row that FCO has been named Best by Size for airports in Europe handling Over 40mppa. And it wasn’t the only Rome airport to win, as Rome Ciampino (CIA) finished joint top in the 2-5mppa section.

ADR CEO, Marco Troncone, commented: “Once again, this year, Fiumicino and Ciampino airports received international recognitions or the quality and the services offered to passengers.

“These awards are increasingly significant and not to be taken for granted, reaffirming the dedication, passion and commitment of our people – as well as the efforts of all colleagues from the companies, organisations and institutions working in synergy at our airports.

“Considering the traffic forecasts for this year and beyond, we are aware that maintaining this level of quality and continuously enhancing our services requires the sustainable development of Rome Fiumicino infrastructures. Thanks to major self-financed investments already underway, we aim at competing with other major hubs in our geographical area, following clear development perspectives.

“This is the only way to strengthen Italy’s position as a leading global tourist destination and high-potential transit hub within the international air connectivity network.’

ADR celebrated the ASQ awards by unveiling ‘Adryx’, the new mascot of FCO and CIA, who is described as an “interstellar ambassador and an expert in quality and innovation”, who lands on Earth to discover the secret of excellence.

FCO shared the award for Europe’s Best Airport by Size handling over 40mppa with iGA Istanbul.

All the other Best by Size winners had at least four winners with the exception of the 15-25mppa Award – Alicante (ALC), Budapest (BUD) and Helsinki (HEL) – and 25-40mppa category, which was shared by Copenhagen (CPH), Palma de Mallorca (PMI ) and Zurich (ZRH).

Commenting on HEL’s Best in Size success, Helsinki Airport director, Ulla Serlenius, enthused: “We are very proud that our work to develop the customer experience at Helsinki Airport has received international recognition year after year.

“Customer satisfaction at our airport has increased over the long term, and the result for 2024 is the highest in the airport’s history. The award is a testament to our passengers’ satisfaction with the airport’s renovations. We will continue our work by listening carefully to the passengers’ requests and following the trends.”

TAV Airports notes that four of its European airports received ASQ awards – Ankara Esenboğa (ESB), İzmir Adnan Menderes (ADB), Milas-Bodrum (BJV) and Skopje (SKP).

Its chief operations officer, Kürşad Koçak, stated: “At TAV Airports, we are celebrating our 25th anniversary this year, and for the past 25 years, we have been committed to delivering the best travel experience for our passengers.

“The Airport Service Quality awards hold special significance for us, as they are determined directly by passenger feedback. We take great pride in seeing our four airports ranked among the best worldwide in their respective categories.”

Latin America-Caribbean

Mexican airports fared particularly well in the 2024 survey, Guadalajara (GDL) on its own winning the Best by Size Award for 15-25mppa.

In the other size categories, Monterrey (MTY) finished top for airports accommodating 5-15mppa alongside Costa Rica’s Juan Santamaria (SJO) and Ecuador’s Quito (UIO) airports; Guanajuato (BJX) and Hermosillo (HMO) shared the 2-5mppa award with Lynden Pindling (NAS) in the Bahamas; and Chihuahua (CUU) and Mazatlán (MZT) took the Under 2mppa crown with Uruguay’s Montevideo-Carrasco (MVD).

VINCI Airports notes that it was the first time the OMA operated airports of Monterrey, Chihuahua and Mazatlán had participated in the ASQ Awards. They joined the VINCI Airports network two years ago.

Reflecting on Quito’s ASQ success, Ramón Miró, president and CEO of Quiport: said: “This award reaffirms passengers’ trust in the quality of our services and motivates us to continue innovating to raise standards of excellence in the airport industry.

“We are currently working on expanding the airport to offer greater capacity and more options for our travellers, always prioritising quality and efficiency I thank our team and the entire airport community for their dedication, effort, and commitment to providing an exceptional experience to every passenger.

“This exceptional result is the outcome of meticulous planning and the collaboration of all stakeholders in the airport’s cargo community. I extend my gratitude to the airlines, operators, exporters, and our team at Quito’s cargo terminal for their dedication and hard work.”

Hall of fame

As a result of their performance in 2024, new inductees into the ACI World Director General’s Roll of Excellence are Alicante–Elche Airport, Beijing Daxing, Copenhagen, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport.

Being inducted is one of the highest honours in the airport industry as it recognises airports that have consistently excelled in service over the past decade.

Click here to view the full list of winners. The 2024 ASQ Awards Ceremony will take place at the ACI World Airport Experience Summit in Guangzhou, China, on September 8-11, 2025.