Hyderabad airport ranks among world’s best

Had a bad experience at Newark Liberty Airport last year? You’re not alone, according to recent rankings.

The New Jersey hub ranked as the worst US airport in the 2019 annual ratings from AirHelp, an organization that specializes in air traveler rights and seeks compensation in cases of delays or cancellations.

US airports in general didn’t fare particularly well, with the highest-rated Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport taking 34th place of 132 around the world. Newark held the lowest US spot, at 116. A major reason is weather-related delays, says Henrik Zillmer, AirHelp’s Chief Executive Officer; they are a huge problem for American airports, compared with European ones.

“If you have the slightest amount of snow at JFK, the airport will close,” Zillmer, says, referring to the New York hub that ranked 86th. Beyond that, quality of service in the US has room for improvement, with long security lines a frequent problem.

The airports are rated based on three factors: on-time performance, service quality, and food and shopping options. The first accounts for 60 per cent of the score and the other criteria each make up 20 per cent. AirHelp’s data comes from multiple commercial vendors, along with its own database, plus 40,000 passenger surveys collected in 40 countries during 2018.

Topping AirHelp’s rankings are Doha’s Hamad International Airport, Tokyo Haneda International Airport, and Athens International Airport, which have taken the top spots since the ratings began in 2015. It’s worth considering the overall picture of each airport in looking at the list. For instance, high ratings for Athens puzzled the AirHelp team at first, says Zillmer, until you consider that its sunny weather results in fewer delays, and vacationers are more likely to leave positive reviews.

Congestion continues to be the biggest problem facing airports: The flight industry is experiencing a rapid increase in global tourism. The Worldwide Tourism Organization estimates that worldwide international tourist arrivals increased 6 per cent, to 1.4 billion in 2018.

“Some airports are expanding quickly, but it’s still a big issue for most, especially during peak hours,” says Zillmer.