JAKARTA – Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman (SAMS) Sepinggan International Airport in Balikpapan won the prestigious 2018 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Awards given by Airports Council International (ACI).
The award confirms the position of SAMS Sepinggan International Airport as the best airport in Asia-Pacific in the category of 5-15 million passengers per year. Besides, it also won the same award last year.
At the 2018 ASQ Awards, SAMS Sepinggan International Airport won awards in four categories:
1. "Best Airport by Size and Region (5-15 million passengers per year in Asia-Pacific)". The best airport in the Asia-Pacific with 5-15 million passengers per year.
2. "Best Environment and Ambience by Size (5-15 million passengers per year)". The best airport in the field of environment and ambience with a passenger number of 5-15 million per year.
3. "Best Customer Service by Size (5-15 million passengers per year)". The best airport in the field of customer service with 5-15 million passengers per year.
4. "Best Infrastructure and Facilitation by Size (5-15 million passengers per year)". The best airport in the field of infrastructure and facilitation with a number of passengers of 5-15 million per year.
The assessment was based on the results of the ASQ survey released on March 6, 2019 in Canada. ASQ is the only global benchmarking program that measures passenger satisfaction at airports conducted by Airports Council International (ACI), a leading international airport organization based in Montreal, Canada.
“SAMS Sepinggan International Airport in Balikpapan sees an increase in achievement compared to the previous year in the same event by regaining the title of Best Airport in the Asia-Pacific in the airport category with a number of passengers of 5-15 million per year. Last year, the largest airport in Kalimantan win the title of ‘2nd place Best Airport by Size: 5-15 million passengers per year’. Apart from that, SAMS Sepinggan also receive awards in several new categories such as ‘Best Environment and Ambience’, ‘Best Customer Service’, and ‘Best Infrastructure and Facilitation’,” said Angkasa Pura Airports president director Faik Fahmi.
He added that the award is an evidence of Angkasa Pura Airports hard work and focus on improving service to the airport users.
“The ASQ Awards is a celebration of the achievement of airports in providing the best customer experience. This award is the highest respect for airport operators throughout the world. Airport that receives this award is considered to have successfully respond to changing passenger needs by providing better service and performance,” said ACI World general director Angela Gittens.
Airports which have received awards, Angela added, have acknowledged that providing better customer service is an important business tool in the increasingly competitive industry.
“The ASQ Awards is the only global program that provides objective measurements and comparisons for airports to help driving their performance,” Gittens said.
Since 2006, ASQ survey has assessed passenger satisfaction to airport services throughout the world. Currently, 74 percent of 100 world-busiest airports are part of ASQ network. Every year, this program interview 600,000 airport users in 42 languages in 84 countries.
The program measures airport users’ opinion through 37 performance indicators including airport access, check-in, security screening, shopping and restaurant facilities, and toilets. Questions and survey mechanisms were carried out in all airports to create an industrial database that allows each airport to compare itself with other airports in the world. Scientific methodology, strict quality control procedures, and commitment to ensure impartiality in each assessment make the ASQ survey a global standard for measuring passenger satisfaction at airports.
Angkasa Pura Airports Appointed by ACI to be the First Airport Operator in Asia-Pacific to host the 2019 Customer Experience Global Summit
Airports that received the 2018 ASQ Awards will be invited to the ceremony planned to be held at the 2019 ACI Customer Experience Global Summit (CEGS) on September 2 to September 5 in Bali. Angkasa Pura Airports is appointed by ACI to be the host of the prestigious event which also make it to be the first airport operator in Asia-Pacific to host the event.
The 2019 ACI Customer Experience Global Summit will be the second summit to be held while the first one was held in Halifax, Canada in 2018. This year, the event is predicted to be attended by more than 400 delegates from all over the world. They will explore best business practices in the industry in providing a better customer travel experience at the airport. This summit is divided into three sections, the ASQ international forum, the Customer Global Summit, and the ceremonial awarding of the ASQ Awards.
"We are pleased with the appointment of Angkasa Pura Airports as the host of the ACI Customer Experience Global Summit which will be held in Bali on September 2 to 5, 2019," Faik said.
"Following the success of Angkasa Pura Airports on several ACI programs since 2013, the trust given to Angkasa Pura Airports as the first airport operator in Asia-Pacific to host this prestigious event further strengthens our credibility internationally. This is also a manifestation of the transformation and the company's new vision of 'connecting the world beyond the airport operator with Indonesian experience'. This opportunity will also enable us to promote a wide selection of tourism destinations outside of Bali and hospitality of Indonesian people," Faik added.
