The world of aviation doesn’t stand still for long as airlines, airports and manufacturers all continuously strive for greatness. Taking the crown this month is Singapore as they pave the way in the innovation and excellence stakes – and winning multiple awards in the process.
For a recording breaking sixth consecutive year, Singapore’s Changi airport has been voted the best airport in the world at the Skytrax World Airport Awards. In total, Changi has won this accolade nine times.
CEO of Skytrax, Edward Plaisted mused “To be voted the World’s Best Airport for the sixth consecutive year is fabulous achievement for Changi Airport, and this award yet again demonstrates the airport’s popularity with international air travellers,”
Changi airport is renowned for its design including outdoor gardens, pools and other leisure facilities for passengers. Last year, their eagerly awaited 4th terminal was opened, worth an estimated $940 million dollars. Terminal 4 will go on to serve an additional 16 million passengers each year.
The airport is also famous for its unusual selection of vending machines, claiming to cater for the ‘hungry, forgetful and good-hearted’ and for it’s pop up exhibition of Sesame Street. This airport really does have everything.
Changi serves more than 100 airlines including being the home base for Singapore Airlines, Singapore Airlines Cargo, SilkAir, Scoot, Jetstar Asia Airways and BOC Aviation.
Singapore Airlines itself has scooped a handful of prestigious awards this year, claiming the title of the World’s Best Airline, Best Economy Cabins and Best First Class Cabins at the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards.
After spending millions in overhauling their aircrafts in recent years, Singapore Airlines is now deemed the world’s most luxurious airline, complete with mini bedrooms, fully flat beds, 32 inch TV’s and ensuite bathrooms. Travel Analyst, Alex Macheras, labelled the suites as ‘hotel rooms in the skies.’
If you watched Channel 4’s recent documentary ‘The World’s Most Luxurious Airline,’ you’ll have seen for yourself that they have just invested a staggering £1.75 billion pounds on five new A380 planes in the hope to compete with rivals Etihad and Emirates. Programme Manager at Zodiac Aerospace, Alex Cameron said, ‘One of these (suites) will cost as much as a three bedroom house.’
Alongside scooping awards, Singapore Airlines is also making waves in the news this week by upgrading their services to Perth and launching their new Dreamliner Dash 10 (or Boeing 787-10.)
Singapore Airlines is the first airline to own this particular model of aircraft which supposedly has ‘jet-lag busting technology.’ Australian Business Traveller Editor, David Flynn, claims “Boeing has discovered that when you pressurise the cabin at 6000 feet it gets rid of most of the muscle fatigue, the aches, the air is cleaner, they’ve got a lot more humidity in the air so your skin doesn’t dry out.”
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