GENERAL: AIA: Auckland Airport - Skytrax Awards 2010

24 Mar 2010 9:58 am

AIA 24/03/2010 GENERAL

REL: 0958 HRS Auckland International Airport Limited

GENERAL: AIA: Auckland Airport - Skytrax Awards 2010

Auckland Airport - Skytrax Awards 2010

Focus on service delivers further global recognition for Auckland Airport in World Airport Awards

Voted 9th best airport worldwide by 9.8 million travellers - up from 10th last year Best airport in Australia Pacific - 2nd year running

Won Staff Service Excellence award

Auckland Airport has cemented its status as a world-class tourism and trade hub - voted the 9thth best airport in the world (up from 10th last year) and the best airport in the Australian Pacific region (for the second year in a row) in the 2010 independent Skytrax World Airport awards.

Auckland Airport is the only airport from the Australia Pacific region, and one of only four airports from outside Asia, to make the elite Skytrax top-10 global list. As well as heading off strong competition from across the Tasman to win the Best Airport Australia Pacific trophy, Auckland also triumphed in the Staff Service Excellence category for the region.

Auckland Airport's chief executive, Simon Moutter, said, "We're incredibly proud. Being recognised as one of the 10 best airports in the world for the first time last year was outstanding in itself, but to see our focus on service delivering an even better result this year is immensely rewarding. We're grateful to all the travellers who voted for us, and to the entire Auckland Airport community who work so tirelessly to improve the passenger experience and deliver world-class customer service. To us, it's all about getting it right for travellers, and playing our part to grow New Zealand travel, trade and tourism."

Announced at The Skytrax World Airport Awards ceremony, held yesterday evening at the Passenger Terminal Expo 2010 in Brussels, Belgium, Skytrax World Airport Awards are the industry's most extensive air traveller-based awards.

The Awards are based on a survey of airport customers conducted between July 2009 and March 2010, covering more than 9.8 million travellers from over 100 different countries.

Mr Moutter said, "I think there is a strong link between the Skytrax Awards and our work with our airport partners on efficiency initiatives to improve the traveller experience. For instance, an ongoing project using Lean Six Sigma methodologies is already improving the end-to-end arrivals process considerably, and is being extended to other areas of Auckland Airport operations.

"Combined with the enormous investment we have made into our departures and arrivals areas, the introduction of a new and wider range of retail and parking products, the launch of SmartGate and the development of more air-services to Auckland, we're absolutely focused on how we can make the passenger experience at Auckland Airport memorable for all the right reasons."

Edward Plaisted, Chairman of Skytrax said: "Auckland International Airport has been improving its overall global ranking during the years of the World Airport Survey, and I congratulate them on achieving this Best Airport Australia Pacific title in 2010. The staff service at Auckland Airport was a clear reason why this airport has performed so well this year, and continued to improve its standing within the overall survey.

Many survey respondents commented on pleasant security and immigration staff, as well as improvements in the standard of passenger service information. The top 5 Airports for the Australia / Pacific region was headed by Auckland in 1st with the remaining airports being Brisbane 2nd, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide who achieved 3rd, 4th and 5th respectively."

Mr Moutter said, "This recognition is very much driven by passengers. We work exceptionally hard to listen, to understand what they want, and to do what we can to meet passenger needs and provide them with great product and service choices."

Mr Moutter added, "These Skytrax awards are also satisfying because they reflect the genuine New Zealand experiences that travellers have had in terms of the friendliness, can-do attitude and responsiveness of all the people they meet. It's a testament to the passion and commitment of everyone at the airport, from the border agencies to the baggage handlers, from retailers to rental-car companies, from emergency services to cleaners.

We won't be standing still. We are determined to keep getting better, and we encourage passengers to help us improve. Our firm belief is that by continuing to provide a great first and last impression of New Zealand, we can help encourage repeat visitors and in turn help drive travel and tourism demand and economic growth." Ends

For further information, please contact:

Richard Llewellyn Senior communications manager +64 9 255 9089 +64 27 477 6120

About the World Airport Awards The SKYTRAX World Airport Awards survey evaluates traveller experiences across 39 different airport service and product factors from check-in, arrivals, and transfer, through to departure at the gate. Operating since 1999, the survey is held in highest esteem for its clarity of process and rigorously applied rules of complete independence. End CA:00192857 For:AIA Type:GENERAL Time:2010-03-24:09:58:41

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