News & Discussion: Adelaide Airport & Airlines

[Ho Really]

That list misses Singapore, Hong Kong, Krakow and my favourite US airport Indianapolis

Here's the Skytrax World Airport Awards list for 2018/2019

1 Singapore Changi 1 2018
2 Tokyo Haneda 3 2018
3 Seoul Incheon 2 2018
4 Doha Hamad 5 2018
5 Hong Kong 4 2018
6 Centrair Nagoya 7 2018
7 Munich 6 2018
8 London Heathrow 8 2018
9 Tokyo Narita 11 2018
10 Zurich 9 2018
11 Kansai 13 2018
12 Frankfurt 10 2018
13 Taiwan Taoyuan 15 2018
14 Amsterdam Schiphol 12 2018
15 Copenhagen 19 2018
16 Shanghai Hongqiao 18 2018
17 Vancouver 14 2018
18 Brisbane 22 2018
19 Vienna 17 2018
20 Helsinki-Vantaa 16 2018
21 Sydney 20 2018
22 Cape Town 21 2018
23 Melbourne 27 2018
24 Dubai 23 2018
25 Cologne / Bonn 31 2018
26 London City 28 2018
27 Auckland 24 2018
28 Hamburg 25 2018
29 Durban 26 2018
30 Paris CDG 37 2018
31 Dusseldorf 30 2018
32 Denver 29 2018
33 Johannesburg 32 2018
34 Seoul Gimpo 40 2018
35 Madrid Barajas 43 2018
36 Hartsfield-Jackson 50 2018
37 Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky 34 2018
38 Houston George Bush 48 2018
39 Guangzhou 104 2018
40 Jakarta 45 2018
41 Haikou Meilan 35 2018
42 Athens 39 2018
43 Barcelona 42 2018
44 Xi'an 38 2018
45 Gold Coast 55 2018
46 Bangkok Suvarnabhumi 36 2018
47 Lima 49 2018
48 San Francisco 51 2018
49 Quito 47 2018
50 Toronto Pearson 41 2018
51 Christchurch 52 2018
52 Perth 59 2018
53 Bogota 46 2018
54 Kuala Lumpur 44 2018
55 London Gatwick 54 2018
56 Dallas/Fort Worth 56 2018
57 Seattle-Tacoma 62 2018
58 Baku 65 2018
59 Delhi 66 2018
60 Lisbon 57 2018
61 Muscat 118 2018
62 Montréal 67 2018
63 Moscow Sheremetyevo 68 2018
64 Mumbai 63 2018
65 Shenzhen 84 2018
66 Hyderabad 75 2018
67 Fukuoka 100 2018
68 Guayaquil 70 2018
69 Bengaluru Airport 64 2018
70 Oslo 61 2018
71 Los Angeles 72 2018
72 Beijing Capital 33 2018
73 Stockholm Arlanda 58 2018
74 New York JFK 69 2018
75 Chengdu 60 2018
76 Adelaide 78 2018
77 Minneapolis St.Paul 79 2018
78 Phoenix 83 2018
79 Porto 71 2018
80 Moscow Domodedovo 74 2018
81 Boston Logan 89 2018
82 Rome Fiumicino 85 2018
83 Malta 76 2018
84 Dublin 80 2018
85 Houston Hobby 99 2018
86 Hanoi Noi Bai 82 2018
87 Abu Dhabi 53 2018
88 Bahrain 73 2018
89 Budapest 90 2018
90 Halifax 77 2018
91 Warsaw 95 2018
92 Detroit Metropolitan 88 2018
93 Nice 98 2018
94 Mauritius 97 2018
95 Luxembourg 102 2018
96 Chicago O'Hare 101 2018
97 Prague 92 2018
98 Birmingham 86 2018
99 Changsha 188 2018
100 Billund 87 2018

Best Airport in Australia/Pacific: Brisbane Airport
Best Airport Hotel in Australia/Pacific: Pullman Brisbane Airport
Best Airport Staff in Australia/Pacific: Gold Coast Airport
Best Regional Airport in Australia/Pacific: Gold Coast Airport

Cheers

[OlympusAnt]

I think we're a little low on that list

[Patrick_27]

What criteria was that list founded on? Not sure how Adelaide is so low by comparison to Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. Considering Perth and Sydney have separate buildings for their domestic and international terminals, meanwhile Melbourne has one of the most dated and maze-like terminal in Australia.

[Listy]

What criteria was that list founded on? Not sure how Adelaide is so low by comparison to Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. Considering Perth and Sydney have separate buildings for their domestic and international terminals, meanwhile Melbourne has one of the most dated and maze-like terminal in Australia.

And just how did Heathrow end up at number 8?!

[Ho Really]

What criteria was that list founded on? Not sure how Adelaide is so low by comparison to Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. Considering Perth and Sydney have separate buildings for their domestic and international terminals, meanwhile Melbourne has one of the most dated and maze-like terminal in Australia.

For criteria see here: Skytrax World Airport Awards - 2019 Survey and Awards Methodology.

Cheers

[Ho Really]

What criteria was that list founded on? Not sure how Adelaide is so low by comparison to Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. Considering Perth and Sydney have separate buildings for their domestic and international terminals, meanwhile Melbourne has one of the most dated and maze-like terminal in Australia.

And just how did Heathrow end up at number 8?!

Yes it makes you wonder what some travellers prioritise and what they think are the most important factors in a good airport experience.

Cheers

[OlympusAnt]

A good airport experience to me is the following

Easy access from the city centre
Flights run on time
Helpful staff
Good customs area (for international)
Good areas for in terminal plane spotting

[Ho Really]

A good airport experience to me is the following

Easy access from the city centre
Flights run on time
Helpful staff
Good customs area (for international)
Good areas for in terminal plane spotting

Add:
Nice lounges for those with status
Clean toilets
Free Wi-Fi (that doesn't drop out)
Open areas with plenty of comfortable seating for those without status
Food outlets with reasonable prices (no price gouging)
Clear wayfinding signage
Etc.

Mmmh...sounds familiar...a mini Changi Singapore minus the cinema, butterfly garden, the fish ponds, etc...the trimmings...

Anyhow add those to your experience OlympusAnt and it becomes superlative.

Cheers

[OlympusAnt]

Ah yes the Wifi

[JAKJ]

Really difficult to understand how they get those rankings, I fly a lot through a number of airports on this list, while Adelaide may not have the same level of amenities (both lounges could do with an update - virgin could use more space, Qantas less space but better appointed) it is fantastic at getting me from plane to car as quickly as possible, is light and airy thanks to panoramic glass and close to CBD/ home. The main bottleneck at the moment is security that can be hectic at peak times, particularly those who can't access the priority lane, apart from that hard to fault as a frequent traveler. Certainly easier to transit through than Perth, Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane.

[Patrick_27]

Really difficult to understand how they get those rankings, I fly a lot through a number of airports on this list, while Adelaide may not have the same level of amenities (both lounges could do with an update - virgin could use more space, Qantas less space but better appointed) it is fantastic at getting me from plane to car as quickly as possible, is light and airy thanks to panoramic glass and close to CBD/ home. The main bottleneck at the moment is security that can be hectic at peak times, particularly those who can't access the priority lane, apart from that hard to fault as a frequent traveler. Certainly easier to transit through than Perth, Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane.

Both lounges should be located on a separate third level, this should have been the case when they build the new terminal... They're currently extending the terminal with part of the new building going towards a foodcourt/retail area when they could have built a new Qantas Club upstairs and the area for the existing Qantas club could have been repurposed for a foodcourt.

[JAKJ]

Both lounges should be located on a separate third level, this should have been the case when they build the new terminal... They're currently extending the terminal with part of the new building going towards a foodcourt/retail area when they could have built a new Qantas Club upstairs and the area for the existing Qantas club could have been repurposed for a foodcourt.

Agree with what you have said, would also afford tarmac views vs views of... the car park. I heard that Virgin's lounge will be moved to a new facility once the extension is completed, but given there financial situation and no further announcements I am beginning to wonder. Qantas lounge would have to be the oldest lounge in Australia now so should be due for an update soon at least. I hope they put in a business lounge to bring in line with other major capitals (plus Canberra). They certainly have the space.

[SRW]

Really difficult to understand how they get those rankings, I fly a lot through a number of airports on this list, while Adelaide may not have the same level of amenities (both lounges could do with an update - virgin could use more space, Qantas less space but better appointed) it is fantastic at getting me from plane to car as quickly as possible, is light and airy thanks to panoramic glass and close to CBD/ home. The main bottleneck at the moment is security that can be hectic at peak times, particularly those who can't access the priority lane, apart from that hard to fault as a frequent traveler. Certainly easier to transit through than Perth, Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane.

Both lounges should be located on a separate third level, this should have been the case when they build the new terminal... They're currently extending the terminal with part of the new building going towards a foodcourt/retail area when they could have built a new Qantas Club upstairs and the area for the existing Qantas club could have been repurposed for a foodcourt.

Moving the airline lounges to level 3 is part of the airport masterplan. The development threshold is the need to expand domestic departures, which they anticipate post-2027 based on the rate of increasing demand.

[ghs]

Adelaide airport pty ltd and the state government must be disappointed with the lack of interest from international airlines.
If you look at how many international airlines there are flying to Perth it really is embarrassing how Adelaide has struggled in this area
in recent times. Air Asia pulled out and we don't even have a direct flight to Thailand. I think the growth in international destinations has been an utter disgrace.

[Patrick_27]

Adelaide airport pty ltd and the state government must be disappointed with the lack of interest from international airlines.
If you look at how many international airlines there are flying to Perth it really is embarrassing how Adelaide has struggled in this area
in recent times. Air Asia pulled out and we don't even have a direct flight to Thailand. I think the growth in international destinations has been an utter disgrace.

Yes, but look at where Perth is compared to Adelaide geographically... Perth, Darwin and Brisbane are the most conveniently located airports in Australia geographically so one can expect them to be a gateway of sorts to Australia (though, Darwin hasn't really capitalised on this). Whereas Sydney and Melbourne have the population that demands being well connected to the rest of the world through aviation. Adelaide... Well, why bother providing direct flights from here that are generally half to three quarters full when you can encourage your clientele to fly domestic to the nearest flights. Notice how domestic flights are down in Adelaide whilst international has climbed... I suspect a lot of domestic travel was for this very reason.