Approximately every 80 seconds, a flight arrives or departs in Singapore’s Changi Airport, making it among the busiest airports in the world. It also holds the title for Airport of the Year since 2013, which is the highest accolade given at the annual World Airport Awards conducted by Skytrax, a UK-based airport ranking site.
Before anyone can disqualify the credibility of this award, it’s important to note that the winners are taken from Skytrax’s annual global airport customer satisfaction survey. The participants of this survey come from over 100 countries around the globe, and it says a lot because Changi has won the title for eight consecutive years.
But what makes Singapore’s Changi Airport so special for it to be named the best among the best? While the best way to experience the beauty and magic of Changi is to see it first-hand, not everyone is as lucky to be given the opportunity. Here are three reasons why it continues to reign supreme over all the airports in the world:
Changi Is More Than Just an Airport
If you’ve never had the chance to experience Changi Airport with your own eyes, then you should know that the sheer number of attractions and amenities it offers alone is enough for it to deserve the renowned title of world’s best.
For starters, there is an abundance of world-class shopping stores at Changi Airport. From international brands to famous local outlets, it would simply be impossible to go through every single store during a layover. Besides providing shopping stores to enthusiasts, Changi also offers unique indoor attractions.
Imagine walking across a forest valley or canopy park while waiting for your flight to depart to feel like you’re out in nature despite being indoors. There are also topiary walks, koi ponds, petal gardens, as well as a hedge and mirror maze that are found inside one of the largest transportation hubs in Asia.
Changi Airport Is for Everyone
By everyone, what’s meant is that it caters to people of all ages and backgrounds. There is no room for boredom inside Changi Airport, especially for kids and kids-at-heart. That’s because Changi offers 24-hour movie theaters and entertainment or gaming decks for free, alongside their playgrounds and a giant trampoline.
For those who prefer a more solemn and filling approach to pass the time, there are multitudes of restaurants that they can choose from. Besides, there’s nothing quite like being acquainted with a new place through your taste buds. And speaking of being acquainted with a new place, Changi Airport offers their transiting passengers free tours to the city.
The tours are eligible for passengers with at least 5.5 hours to spare during their layover and are scheduled on a first-come, first-serve basis. It’s a great way for passengers to pass the time and get a short glimpse of what Singapore has to offer, even if it’s only for two and a half hours.
Changi Caters to Customers by the Millions
In 2017, Changi Airport celebrated a milestone for being able to cater to upwards of 60 million passengers from 100 countries all over the world. Since then, the numbers have steadily grown, and have only suffered a plunge in numbers due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
But despite this unforeseeable circumstance, Changi was still able to record 11 million passengers in 2020, and it still ranks as one of the busiest airports across the globe. Foreigners aren’t the only people who enjoy their time inside the world-class airport because it’s also a place of pride and joy for locals.
In fact, there’s a Singaporean tradition that many locals practice: hanging out at the airport. To locals, the airport serves as a public amenity where they are free to explore and enjoy everything that international passengers do. But for them, there is no time limit looming over their heads, which is even better.
In summation, Changi Airport is a place perfect for both locals and foreigners. Unlike other international airports with stringent security protocols, Changi is more like a walk in the park. That’s not to say that it isn’t secure because it’s very safe, but its approach to the safety measures can make people inside the airport feel more relaxed.
So to say that Changi Airport is just a transportation hub will fail to capture how Singapore goes above and beyond to cater to its local and international customers daily. Changi Airport deserves the title world’s best because it’s also a place of culture and entertainment built for everyone who wants to experience it.
