https://arab.news/vq45m
RIYADH: The King Fahd International Airport has been named the best regional airport in the Middle East for the second year running by international air transport organization Skytrax.
The company revealed the honor for the Dammam-based hub as it unveiled its ranking for the world’s top 100 airports for 2023.
The airport jumped six places from 2022 to be graded the world’s 44th best, while other airports in the Kingdom also saw there rankings increase.
Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport has risen from 29th to 27th place, while the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah has climbed three spots from last year to be ranked 41st globally.
Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah climbed six positions to secure 52nd place in the world's best airports.
More than 500 international airports participated in the World Skytrax Awards, in which the global rating agency assesses key performance indicators including check-in, arrivals, transfers, shopping, security, immigration, and departure.
Singapore Changi Airport was named the World’s Best Airport 2023 by the firm, with Hamad International in Doha coming in second and Tokyo Haneda Airport ranked third.
Edward Plaisted of Skytrax said: “We congratulate Singapore Changi Airport on being named the World’s Best Airport for 2023. After being severely hit during the Covid-19 pandemic, it is pleasing to note that passenger numbers at Changi Airport are now at about 80 percent of pre-Covid-19 levels, and expected to return to pre-pandemic levels by 2024.”
The Skytrax rankings come after the Kingdom’s General Authority of Civil Aviation ranked King Khalid International Airport first among Saudi Arabia’s international airports with more than 15 million passengers annually, for scoring high on various performance indicators including waiting times and security procedures.
The Riyadh-based airport claimed the top spot for achieving a compliance rate of 82 percent, according to the latest performance report.
The aviation authority evaluates airport performance on 14 crucial performance indicators, most notably waiting times for passengers during check-in and security procedures, the time spent by the traveler in front of the baggage track, passport and customs areas, criteria related to people with disabilities, and several other criteria based on best global practices.
King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah ranked second with a compliance rate of 45 percent, the report revealed.