Bahrain International Airport (BIA) has been named the World’s Best Airport for Baggage Delivery at the World Airport Awards held as part of 2023 Passenger Terminal Expo in Amsterdam. The newly-opened airport also snapped the award for the Best Airport Staff in Middle East.
The World Airport Awards are the most prestigious accolades for the airport industry, voted for by customers in the largest annual global airport customer satisfaction survey. The accolades are the latest in a long list of achievements for BIA, which continues to cement its position among the world’s leading airports.
Gulf Air Group Chairman Zayed R. Al Zayani and Bahrain Airport Company CEO Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah accepted the awards on the airport’s behalf at the presentation ceremony.
On the top honours, Al Zayani said: "We are honoured to be recognized for the quality of our services and our commitment to ensuring that all passengers enjoy a hassle-free travel experience. BIA is the central asset of the Kingdom of Bahrain’s aviation sector, which receives great support from His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and benefits from the close follow-up of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister."
"Awards such as these demonstrate the efficacy of our aviation strategy and reinforce our position as a leading regional and global aviation hub. Backed by state-of-the-art facilities and a highly skilled team dedicated to providing the highest levels of service, BIA celebrates Bahrain’s rich heritage and spotlights our warm hospitality to the world."
This comes close on the heels of BAC's win at the Aviation Achievement Awards 2023 where it was named Airport Operator of the Year (Medium-Sized Airports).
It was also presented with the Aviation Sustainability Award (Airports) and honored for Health & Safety Initiative of the Year (Business Aviation).
Al Binfalah said: "The baggage handling department plays a key role in making the airport experience as seamless as possible for passengers through a highly integrated process with our partners. Although passengers may not see all the hard work and attention to detail that goes into this process, we are pleased that they appreciate a job well done."
"While our advanced facilities play a key role, having an outstanding team is crucial to deliver a safe, efficient, and memorable airport experience. Customers are at the center of our daily operations and wherever their onward journeys take them, our goal is to ensure the time they spend at BIA is convenient and enjoyable," he added.
Lauding the big win, Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted said: "We congratulate BIA on its success in winning these important customer awards for 2023. The past few years have been extremely challenging for airports worldwide, and as we move on from the Covid-19 pandemic, it is pleasing to see passenger numbers returning to normal, and BIA being recognized as a leading airport by their customers."
Operating since 2000, the World Airport Awards are independent and were introduced to provide a customer satisfaction study that is truly global in scope and coverage.
They are regarded as the quality benchmark for the world airport industry, assessing customer service and facilities across over 550 airports.