Airport
The Best and Worst Airlines and Airports of 2019
Today AirHelp, the world’s largest organization for air passenger rights, is announcing the results of its annual AirHelp Score which rates global airlines and airports. First launched in 2015, AirHelp Score is the most comprehensive data-based evaluation of airlines and airports, rating them on service quality, on-time performance, claim processing and food and shops – taking into account flight and after-flight services.
To create this ranking, AirHelp has used top data sources, including its database of flight statistics, which is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world, tens of thousands of customer opinions and its own experience in helping 10 million passengers around the world process compensation following flight disruption.
THE BEST AND WORST AIRLINES 2019
Best
1. Qatar Airways
2. American Airlines
3. Aeromexico
4. SAS Scandinavian Airlines
5. Qantas
6. LATAM Airlines
7. WestJet
8. Luxair
9. Austrian Airlines
10. Emirates
Worst airlines for 2019
63. Adria Airways
64. Aerolineas Argentinas
65. Transavia
66. Laudamotion
67. Norwegian
68. Ryanair
69. Korean Air
70. Kuwait Airways
71. EasyJet
72. Thomas Cook
It ranked 72 airlines and 132 airports from 40,000 reviews based on on-time performance and quality of service, as well as food and drink options and how easy it is to claim a refund.
BEST AND WORST AIRPORTS FOR 2019
Best
1. Hamad International Airport, Qatar
2. Tokyo International Airport, Japan
3. Athens International , Greece
4. Afonso Pena International Airport, Brazil
5. Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport, Poland
6. Moscow Sheremetyevo International, Russia
7. Singapore Changi Airport,
8. Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi International, India
9. Tenerife North Airport, Spain
10. Campinas International , Brazil
Worst airports
123. London Gatwick Airport, UK
124. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Canada
125. Porto Airport, Portugal
126. Paris Orly Airport, France
127. Manchester Airport, UK
128. Malta International Airport, Malta
129. Henri Coandă International Airport, Bucharest, Romania
130. Eindhoven Airport, Netherlands
131. Kuwait International Airport, Kuwait
132. Lisbon Portela Airport, Portugal
How the airlines and airports are rated
The 2019 AirHelp Score marks the company’s eighth report since it began evaluations in 2015. AirHelp developed this report to combine expert knowledge and industry expertise to give air passengers better predictions for what their experiences will look like at different airports, how the airlines will treat them under normal circumstances, and what to expect if their flight gets delayed, canceled or overbooked. To determine the airline rankings, AirHelp rates airlines equally on three areas, including claims processing, on-time performance, and quality of service. Airports’ scores are determined by on-time performance, which accounts for 60% of the score, and then quality of service, which is 20% of the score, and food and shopping options which makes up the remaining 20% of the score. To view AirHelp Score in full, please visit AirHelp.com/AirHelpScore.
Airport
Dubai Initiates ‘World’s Largest’ Airport Terminal Project
Dubai, known for its audacious projects and visionary ambitions, has set its sights on yet another groundbreaking endeavor.
On a Sunday announcement, the Gulf emirate revealed the commencement of construction on a colossal new terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport. With an estimated cost soaring close to $35 billion, this undertaking signals Dubai’s unwavering commitment to spearheading innovation and redefining the global aviation landscape.
The visionary behind this monumental project, His Highness, proclaimed that this future hub will surpass all precedents, becoming “the world’s largest” airport. Envisioned to dwarf the current Dubai International Airport by fivefold, it will boast a staggering 400 aircraft gates and feature a constellation of five parallel runways.
But more than just sheer size, the new terminal will serve as a crucible for pioneering aviation technologies, heralding a new era of efficiency and connectivity in air transport. Dubai’s ambitions extend beyond mere infrastructure.
As His Highness elaborated, the airport will catalyze the emergence of an entire city, a bustling metropolis in Dubai South. Anticipated to accommodate housing for a million residents, this urban nexus will magnetize leading companies in logistics and air transport, cementing Dubai’s status as a global economic powerhouse.
The master plan for the Airport of the Future unfolds across an expansive canvas, spanning a sprawling area of 70 square kilometers. With an ultimate capacity surpassing 260 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo per annum, it charts a trajectory for sustained growth and prosperity in Dubai’s aviation sector over the next four decades.
This visionary project is not just a testament to Dubai’s ambition; it is a cornerstone of its economic agenda. Integral to Dubai’s economic fabric, the new airport will fuel job creation and residential demand, with projections estimating requirements for over a million individuals living and working in Dubai South.
Aerospace
India is set to build a central command for the Air Traffic Control system, called ISHAN
India’s air traffic growth has led to increased responsibilities for air traffic control. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is considering centralizing air traffic control for aircraft, dividing the country into four regions. The goal is to consolidate India’s segmented airspace into a single entity to improve air traffic management (ATM) efficiency, safety, and smoothness.
Recently, the AAI invited expressions of interest to develop a detailed project report for the Indian Single Sky Harmonized Air Traffic Management (ISHAN) initiative in Nagpur. Under this plan, air traffic controllers in Nagpur would handle domestic flights flying above 25,000 feet, eliminating the need for coordination among controllers in different regions.
For domestic regional flights operating above 25,000 feet, control would shift to the central command in Nagpur. This consolidation aims to enhance airline operations, increase flight handling capacity, and reduce congestion and flight times for passengers.
Currently, the AAI provides ATM services over Indian airspace and adjoining oceanic areas, covering over 2.8 million square nautical miles. This airspace is divided into four flight information regions (FIRs) in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai, along with a sub-FIR in Guwahati.
FIRs are responsible for providing air traffic services, including weather information, visibility, and search and rescue assistance. The proposed unification under the ISHAN initiative aligns with the projected growth of the aviation industry, which anticipates a doubling of domestic passenger traffic by 2030.
Airport
Hamad International Airport Recognised as the “World’s Best Airport” for 2024
The World Airport Awards, which took place on April 17, 2024, in Frankfurt’s Passenger Terminal EXPO, have crowned Doha’s Hamad International Airport the World’s Best Airport 2024.
In addition, Hamad International Airport took home prizes for Best Airport in the Middle East and Best Airport Shopping in the World. Singapore Changi Airport, the 2023 Airport of the Year and 12-time winner, came in second in the world rankings and took home prizes for the Best Airport in Asia and the Best Airport Immigration Service Worldwide.
In 2023, Hamad International Airport saw an extraordinary increase in passenger volume, marking a noteworthy milestone. Serving more than 45 million travellers, the airport saw a startling 31% rise from the year before. The airport serves over 250 destinations with passenger, cargo, and chartered flights. It also welcomed new distinguished airline partners, such as Vistara, Iberia, Xiamen Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, and Japan Airlines.
Hamad International Airport is looking forward to a busy 2024 as it enters its historic tenth year of existence. The airport wants to become even more of a leader in the aviation sector by investing in cutting-edge technologies and industry-first projects that will improve sustainability efforts.
A varied lifestyle destination itself is Hamad International Airport. The airport combines modern food and shopping options, leisure and entertainment venues, and a top-notch collection of artwork from globally known artists all within its single, spacious terminal. With the completion of the first phase of the airport expansion project, Hamad International Airport has improved its multi-dimensional offering and greatly boosted capacity.