For the third year running, London City Airport has been named the world’s best airport of its size in the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2019, and the 26th best overall airport on the planet, edging two spots up the rankings.
The airport topped the Best Airports 2019 category for airports handling under 5 million passengers per year, and climbed two places to 26th in the ranking of the World’s Top 100 Airports.
The Skytrax World Airport Awards are voted for by airport customers in the largest, annual global airport customer satisfaction survey, operated every year since 1999. This year the awards were announced at the Passenger Terminal EXPO at ExCeL London, which is located in London’s Royal Docks – a short distance from the airport.
Only four UK airports feature in the top 100, with London City ranking second-highest in a list which included Heathrow, Gatwick and Birmingham airports. London City also came 10th in the Best Airports in Europe 2019 category.
Robert Sinclair, CEO of London City Airport, said; "To achieve this feat at the Skytrax World Airport Awards again is testament to the whole team at London City Airport, during a year of ‘firsts’. We have welcomed record passengers, new airlines, and inaugural routes while continuing a transformative £500 million development programme in parallel. The accolade also comes hot on the heels of a recent Airport Service Quality (ASQ) award from ACI World.
"We want everyone who uses London City Airport to love their experience and this award demonstrates that our proposition of speed, convenience, great customer service and proximity to London are winning ingredients."
The recognition comes as demand to use London City Airport reaches a record-high. In 2018, passengers increased 6.4% to 4.8 million and it is expected that c.5 million passengers will use London’s most central airport this year.
Much of this growth is down to the airport’s broadening appeal and changing mix of passengers, particularly leisure travellers and East Londoners, joining the established business traveller base. In line with this change, the airport this year revealed a bold new brand identity which reflects a more dynamic, vibrant and contemporary look, synonymous with modern London.
Also, in the past 12 months, the airport has attracted new carriers including LOT Polish Airlines and Aer Lingus, helping to evolve its offer to passengers. LOT, which has invested in four Embraer 190 aircraft to operate at London City, has transformed Central European connectivity, adding Warsaw and Budapest routes, to be followed by Vilnius on 1st May. The arrival of the iconic Irish carrier, Aer Lingus, has also strengthened the airport’s long-haul strategy, with vast North American connections via Dublin, itself one of London City’s most popular point-to-point routes.
