Doha's Hamad International Airport world's best, Delhi's IGI bags special award | Rankings

Doha’s Hamad International Airport has been named the world’s best airport on Skytrax’s annual ranking, snatching the top position from Singapore’s Changi Airport. Skytrax said in a statement that the world airport awards for 2021 recognise the efforts in adapting and meeting the challenges thrown by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

Doha’s ascension on the list of the world’s best airports comes days after an aviation safety and product rating agency named Qatar Airways the world’s best carrier. AirlineRatings.com had applauded Qatar Airways for its “dedication and commitment to continue to operate” throughout the pandemic. The latest achievements reflect the Qatari government’s focus on improving the country’s aviation sector.

“This is not only a truly remarkable achievement for HIA and the State of Qatar, but an endorsement from our travellers for our commitment to service excellence,” Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, chief operating officer at Hamad International Airport, said in a statement.

Also Read | Qatar Airways named world's best airline for 2021. Here's list of top 20 carriers

Here’s the list of the world’s top 10 airports of 2021:

• Hamad International Airport
• Tokyo Haneda Airport
• Singapore Changi Airport
• Incheon International Airport
• Narita International Airport
• Munich Airport
• Zurich Airport
• London Heathrow Airport
• Kansai International Airport
• Hong Kong International Airport

While Changi Airport lost its position to HIA, it took awards for the world’s best airport staff and the best airport staff in Asia. It was also named the world’s best airport in the 10 to 15 million passenger category. Guangzhou Baiyun Airport was named the world’s best airport in the 35 to 45 million passenger category.

Turkey’s Istanbul Airport, which moved from 102nd place in 2020 to 17th place in 2021, was named the world’s most improved airport. Tokyo Haneda Airport, which is ranked number 2 in the world, has been named the world’s cleanest airport.

Some international airports, including Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, won the special 2021 Covid-19 Airport Excellence Awards for properly enforcing Covid-19 guidelines, including face mask usage, visibility and availability of hand sanitiser, social distancing, hygiene procedures at security, social distancing at security/immigration, terminal cleanliness and washroom cleanliness.