Sunday Times 2
Singapore crowned the best airport in the world
View(s):BARCELONA (AFP)- For the second year in a row, Singapore’s Changi Airport has been named the best airport in the world by millions of international flyers for features like tropical rooftop gardens, movie theaters, Jacuzzi and free foot massages.
Changi Airport has been voted the World's Best Airport and Best Airport for Leisure Amenities by air travellers (AFP)
The Singapore airport beat 410 hubs around the world to take the top spot at the World Airport Awards. This year, the awards were based on 12.85 million customer nominations across 110 nationalities who evaluated the airports across 39 categories including check-in, arrivals, transfers, shopping, security, immigration and departure.
Last summer, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien announced plans to build a new terminal that will double Changi’s capacity in a bid to retain its edge as a regional aviation hub.
Currently, the airport has three terminals with a total capacity of 66 million passengers a year.
It’s not hard to see why the Singapore airport snagged the top spot and seduced flyers around the world.
More than just a place of transit, the airport has been designed to take the stress out of flying with features that include five themed gardens, including a butterfly garden, bamboo, orchid and fern-themed gardens, as well as a rooftop oasis with cactus and sunflowers.
For families with young children or restless adolescents, the airport likewise offers an Entertainment Deck where kids and adults alike can play Xbox Kinect, Xbox 360 and PlayStation games, watch a movie, visit the aviation gallery, or release any pent-up energy at the playground.
For a small fee, passengers can use the airport’s Balinese-themed swimming pool and Jacuzzi, while napping areas at a rainforest lounge and individual cubicles or budget rooms can be rented out for up to six-hour blocks.
Passengers with a layover of at least five hours can also take advantage of free two-hour sightseeing tours organized by the airport, which take visitors past major landmarks and areas of the city including the Marina Bay Sands, the world’s largest Ferris wheel — the Singapore Flyer — and the Gardens of the Bay.
And passengers with tired, swollen feet from pressurized cabins and running through the terminals can also get free foot massages.
Rounding out the top five list is Incheon International Airport in Seoul; Munich Airport; Hong Kong International Airport and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.