Top Ranking Company

World-wide customers have ranked the Hong Kong International Airport as the best in an yearly survey in which airports from Asia and Southeast Asia have done exceedingly well while those from the US have failed to find a place in the top 10.

Based on factors like shopping, dining, staff courtesy, baggage release and wait times at security, airport customers chose Hong Kong over 190 others in an annual survey conducted by Skytrax, a privately-owned research company in London.

The ranking was finalised based on 8.2 million company in questionnaires completed by passengers over a 10-month time period from 2007 to 2008.

According to the survey, Hong Kong, which has a standing for efficiency and comfort, bested airports in Singapore and Seoul, South Korea, with airports in Kansai, Japan, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, also ranking in the top 10.

Airports in Europe - Munich, Germany; Copenhagen, Denmark; Zurich, Switzerland; and Helsinki, Finland - most of the remaining top spots, Forbes.Com said. Cape Town, South Africa was place at No.10.

Though none of the airports in the United States broken the top 10, international airports in San Francisco, Denver, Dallas and Atlanta had slightly improved positions, over last year, coming in between 11 and 25, the report said.

"The three or four at the top have developed purpose-built, 21st century airports that have every possible item of product and service," said Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax. This includes facilities like free wi-fi and quick train service from the airport to the city's downtown area.

He said the 1960s-era airports in the US are mainly city's function-driven and have been unhurried to adopt a globally competitive approach.