Ko Samui Airport Voted Among Best Top 10 Airports In The World

[Jai Dee]

Ko Samui Airport voted among best top 10 airports in the world

Ko Samui Airport has been voted among the best top ten airports in the world through a recent online survey of travelers by the Smart Travel Asia magazine.

Other airports on the top ten list include Hong Kong International Airport, Singapore Changi Airport, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Incheon International Airport, Pudong International Airport, Suvarnabhumi Airport, Amsterdam Airport, Zurich Airport, and Frankfurt Airport.

The Managing Director of Public Relations to Ko Samui Airport, M.L. Nanthipa Worawan (ม.ล. นันทิกา วรวรรณ), reports that Ko Samui Airport is capable of accommodating over 9,000 flights per year, with direct connections from Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 20 September 2007

[Mid]

Best Airports Worldwide

Leading a field of over one hundred airports around the world in our Best Airport Worldwide category is Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok with 22.4 percent of the votes. The airport (which ranked first in 2006 too) was well clear of second-ranked rival Singapore Changi Airport which secured 16.8 percent of the votes. Clearly, the extension of shopping facilities and the emergence of colour – carpets, comfortable seating, and potted trees – has taken some of the sting out of Changi’s assault.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport, a glass-and-steel marvel with sunshine streaming in to spotlight wooded reserves, ranked as the third best airport in the world, but positioned considerably below Hongkong and Singapore. Ranked fourth best airport worldwide is the new Suvarnabhumi Airport Bangkok, which has had its share of teething troubles but is a vast improvement on the Don Muang Airport. Ranked fifth best airport in the world is the gleaming and futuristic Incheon International Airport (Seoul), with Pudong International Airport (Shanghai) in sixth place, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in seventh, the small and utterly delightful Koh Samui Airport (Thailand) run by Bangkok Airways in eighth place, Zurich Airport in ninth and Frankfurt Airport in tenth place. Breezy Koh Samui Airport dropped several positions from number four in 2006 but remains a surprising and welcome member of the Big Boys’ Top Ten club.

WORLDWIDE

2007 Rank 2006 Rank

1. Hong Kong International Airport 1

2. Singapore Changi Airport 2

3. Kuala Lumpur International Airport 3

4. Suvarnabhumi Airport Bangkok -

5. Incheon International Airport, Korea 5

6. Pudong International Airport, China 7

7. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Netherlands 6

8. Koh Samui Airport, Thailand 4

9. Zurich Airport, Switzerland -

10. Frankfurt Airport, Germany 10

smarttravelasia.com

Eighths , Fourth last year .............................................

[Samui Coconut]

Best Airports Worldwide

Leading a field of over one hundred airports around the world in our Best Airport Worldwide category is Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok with 22.4 percent of the votes. The airport (which ranked first in 2006 too) was well clear of second-ranked rival Singapore Changi Airport which secured 16.8 percent of the votes. Clearly, the extension of shopping facilities and the emergence of colour – carpets, comfortable seating, and potted trees – has taken some of the sting out of Changi’s assault.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport, a glass-and-steel marvel with sunshine streaming in to spotlight wooded reserves, ranked as the third best airport in the world, but positioned considerably below Hongkong and Singapore. Ranked fourth best airport worldwide is the new Suvarnabhumi Airport Bangkok, which has had its share of teething troubles but is a vast improvement on the Don Muang Airport. Ranked fifth best airport in the world is the gleaming and futuristic Incheon International Airport (Seoul), with Pudong International Airport (Shanghai) in sixth place, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in seventh, the small and utterly delightful Koh Samui Airport (Thailand) run by Bangkok Airways in eighth place, Zurich Airport in ninth and Frankfurt Airport in tenth place. Breezy Koh Samui Airport dropped several positions from number four in 2006 but remains a surprising and welcome member of the Big Boys’ Top Ten club.

WORLDWIDE

2007 Rank 2006 Rank

1. Hong Kong International Airport 1

2. Singapore Changi Airport 2

3. Kuala Lumpur International Airport 3

4. Suvarnabhumi Airport Bangkok -

5. Incheon International Airport, Korea 5

6. Pudong International Airport, China 7

7. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Netherlands 6

8. Koh Samui Airport, Thailand 4

9. Zurich Airport, Switzerland -

10. Frankfurt Airport, Germany 10

smarttravelasia.com

Eighths , Fourth last year .............................................

Is this the new airport or the old one ?

[Mid]

Is this the new airport or the old one ?

there's only one airport .......................

don't confuse terminals ......................

[taxexile]

Best Travel Brands 2007

Our readers vote in Asia’s best business hotels, luxury resorts, spas, destinations, business cities, and the world’s best airlines and airports. Here are the results of our 2007 “Best in Travel Poll”.

.....................................Travel polls are a dodgy exercise at best of times. People, foibles, ignorance, geography, access, poor spelling and outright deviousness conspire to thwart any meaningful attempt to define preferences at best of times. New brands crop up all the time. Old ones refresh their image constantly.

Print polls are of necessity circumscribed by circulation. An online poll is by nature both democratic and global. It offers unique access and insights into global perceptions. And this is what the SmartTravelAsia.Com BEST IN TRAVEL POLL 2007 is all about. Perceptions, brand strengths and assumptions made by people qualified to wield their pens (or computer mouse) in this endeavour. Not everyone stayed at the resort or hotel they voted for – but several did. Their vote was based on actual experience, word-of-mouth through friends and colleagues, as well as an idea of the brand drawn from advertising and editorial exposure in the media, a great deal of this online. Brands with a strong media presence clearly benefited, while smaller boutique establishments gained votes via the dinner table grapevine.

Thanks to penetrative tools available to an online magazine, a large number of “block” votes and “stealth” attempts were detected and deleted. After extensive deductions, over 2,000 qualified votes were tabulated, weighted, and verified. Here’s how the readers of SmartTravelAsia.Com – the region’s only dedicated online travel magazine – voted.

Our poll ran for three key months May-July 2007 to catch prime frequent travellers around the world at various peak travel and Web activity periods.

[chinthee]

This "online survey" is absolute horse hockey. Can you imagine a world's best airport that includes no American marvels such as the gleaming and efficient Denver International and several other in North America, but yet includes BKK and Pudong?

And as far as Koh Samui, I agree it is a very quaint airport that adds to your holiday enjoyment. when you arrive it's like you're expecting some white-suited mature gentleman to hand you a mai tai as you step into the tropics. But among the world's top 10? Get f'ing serious.

A total joke.

[Mid]

Can you imagine a world's best airport that includes no American marvels such as the gleaming and efficient Denver International and several other in North America, but yet includes BKK and Pudong?

now , now

this from '05

Asia's airports dominate the rankings, which Skytrax says is no surprise given that its airports benefit from 21st-century facilities. Perhaps not surprising, no U.S. airports cracked the top ten. In fact, they barely cracked the top 20. Minneapolis-St. Paul came in a No. 20 worldwide and No. 1 in North America, based on the aforementioned criteria.

cite

what has changed , for the better stateside ??

[chinthee]

^ There are a number of new airports, including Fort Meyers, Florida. The point is that you can't compare a dreamy, sleepy small island fantasy island airport in a list of the top 10 in the world. And, we all know swampyphoom could never make a top 10 list. Pudong same same.

I think world travelers could all agree on HKG, SIN and AMS. Everything else is up for grabs, but there are many contenders from North America and Europe to consider.

[Gatorade]

^ There are a number of new airports, including Fort Meyers, Florida. The point is that you can't compare a dreamy, sleepy small island fantasy island airport in a list of the top 10 in the world. And, we all know swampyphoom could never make a top 10 list. Pudong same same.

I think world travelers could all agree on HKG, SIN and AMS. Everything else is up for grabs, but there are many contenders from North America and Europe to consider.

Of course you can compare! If this survey is accurate it reflects the airports which travellers like or at least, find less gruelling than other airports. As a traveller, (which is the point of the survey) en route to Europe, Samui is the least stressful for me. Samui airport would get my vote as one of the least hateful airports to travel through/from/to. As for US airports,they might look nice but they are not user friendly.

[chinthee]

^ There are a number of new airports, including Fort Meyers, Florida. The point is that you can't compare a dreamy, sleepy small island fantasy island airport in a list of the top 10 in the world. And, we all know swampyphoom could never make a top 10 list. Pudong same same.

I think world travelers could all agree on HKG, SIN and AMS. Everything else is up for grabs, but there are many contenders from North America and Europe to consider.

Of course you can compare! If this survey is accurate it reflects the airports which travellers like or at least, find less gruelling than other airports. As a traveller, (which is the point of the survey) en route to Europe, Samui is the least stressful for me. Samui airport would get my vote as one of the least hateful airports to travel through/from/to. As for US airports,they might look nice but they are not user friendly.

Fair enough. On that basis, I would also vote for Samui, but probably put it in first place!

[koheesti]

This "online survey" is absolute horse hockey. Can you imagine a world's best airport that includes no American marvels such as the gleaming and efficient Denver International and several other in North America, but yet includes BKK and Pudong?

And as far as Koh Samui, I agree it is a very quaint airport that adds to your holiday enjoyment. when you arrive it's like you're expecting some white-suited mature gentleman to hand you a mai tai as you step into the tropics. But among the world's top 10? Get f'ing serious.

A total joke.

I don't know about that. How far do you have to go from the plane to the baggage claim compared to bigger airports? How long are the lines? Quaint can have a peaceful effect as opposed to the hustle and bustle which normally comes with larger airports. I'd vote for an airport that got me in and out quickly over a place that had duty free shops and restaurants.

[chinthee]

This "online survey" is absolute horse hockey. Can you imagine a world's best airport that includes no American marvels such as the gleaming and efficient Denver International and several other in North America, but yet includes BKK and Pudong?

And as far as Koh Samui, I agree it is a very quaint airport that adds to your holiday enjoyment. when you arrive it's like you're expecting some white-suited mature gentleman to hand you a mai tai as you step into the tropics. But among the world's top 10? Get f'ing serious.

A total joke.

I don't know about that. How far do you have to go from the plane to the baggage claim compared to bigger airports? How long are the lines? Quaint can have a peaceful effect as opposed to the hustle and bustle which normally comes with larger airports. I'd vote for an airport that got me in and out quickly over a place that had duty free shops and restaurants.

Well, if those are you criteria, I can name hundreds of small and convenient and friendly airports, just in the US. I imagine there must be thousands worldwide that fit that description.

[solo siam]

I think a big part of this is because the airport is pretty cool and funky.

Still, cant be nice to be knocked off your spot by Suvarnburi!

[koheesti]

This "online survey" is absolute horse hockey. Can you imagine a world's best airport that includes no American marvels such as the gleaming and efficient Denver International and several other in North America, but yet includes BKK and Pudong?

And as far as Koh Samui, I agree it is a very quaint airport that adds to your holiday enjoyment. when you arrive it's like you're expecting some white-suited mature gentleman to hand you a mai tai as you step into the tropics. But among the world's top 10? Get f'ing serious.

A total joke.

I don't know about that. How far do you have to go from the plane to the baggage claim compared to bigger airports? How long are the lines? Quaint can have a peaceful effect as opposed to the hustle and bustle which normally comes with larger airports. I'd vote for an airport that got me in and out quickly over a place that had duty free shops and restaurants.

Well, if those are you criteria, I can name hundreds of small and convenient and friendly airports, just in the US. I imagine there must be thousands worldwide that fit that description.

Perhaps, but the poll is the SmartTravelAsia.Com BEST IN TRAVEL POLL 2007 so I doubt small airports on a continent thousands of miles away have been visited by many of the 2000 people who voted.

[Mid]

Perhaps, but the poll is the SmartTravelAsia.Com BEST IN TRAVEL POLL 2007 so I doubt small airports on a continent thousands of miles away have been visited by many of the 2000 people who voted.

take a look at post #5 ,

doubt that those who voted visited Samui en mass either ....................................

[Lite Beer]

Suvarnabhumi number 4 best airport in the world.

Says it all.

[lazeeboy]

Suvarnabhumi number 4 best airport in the world.

Says it all.

utter rubbish ,those dates are for the new airport thats not even finish ..................

[keemapoot]

I guess this begs the question: why was such a poor source cited as a news item?

[Samuian]

....is this "SmartTravelAsia" owned by BKA? I wa,wa,wa,wa won-der... 8 out of 10 only asian ap's makes me wonder too..

[joeyb]

As for Samui's airport, I love the look and feel of it. The free snacks and drinks at the terminals are also a nice touch.

However, it's not the most efficient operation. Last month, as I was heading out, I watched and listened with ever increasing madness as the Bangkok Air rep at the gate kept calling, "This is the last call for ... please board immediately." He repeated this message at least 20-30 times. Apparently they called the wrong gate number and most of the passengers were at the wrong gate. They allowed this one simple mistake to delay the next 3 flights (including mine)!! We were still at the gate waiting for them to round up the other flight when our flight was to leave.

People from our flight started to panic thinking that it was our flight they were constantly calling for and started trying to get on the trolly. The rep told them it was not our flight, but never made one announcement to this effect. I too approached the rep because our boarding time had come and gone and still no announcement to let us know what the heck was going on. Only after every "stray traveller" was rounded up, did we finally get to board our flight.

They allowed this single mistake to inconvenience hundreds of travellers instead of working thru the problem and only delaying the one flight. I like the fish tanks in the toilets, but they seem very incompetent.

[koheesti]

this from '05

Asia's airports dominate the rankings, which Skytrax says is no surprise given that its airports benefit from 21st-century facilities. Perhaps not surprising, no U.S. airports cracked the top ten. In fact, they barely cracked the top 20. Minneapolis-St. Paul came in a No. 20 worldwide and No. 1 in North America, based on the aforementioned criteria.

This has an asian connection as well. Mineapolis is where Mall of the Americas is located and a friend of mine from there says they have direct flights from Japan filled with people whose soul purpose is to go shopping there (what else?). It's WAY smaller than LAX and has to be easier to get around in.

[Kiiniow]

Ko Samui Airport voted among best top 10 airports in the world

Ko Samui Airport has been voted among the best top ten airports in the world through a recent online survey of travelers by the Smart Travel Asia magazine.

Other airports on the top ten list include Hong Kong International Airport, Singapore Changi Airport, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Incheon International Airport, Pudong International Airport, Suvarnabhumi Airport, Amsterdam Airport, Zurich Airport, and Frankfurt Airport.

The Managing Director of Public Relations to Ko Samui Airport, M.L. Nanthipa Worawan (ม.ล. นันทิกา วรวรรณ), reports that Ko Samui Airport is capable of accommodating over 9,000 flights per year, with direct connections from Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 20 September 2007

Suvarnabhumi Airport Bangkok ??? Sorry, poll has no credibility.

[somchai jones]

If we were talking best Asian major international airports, top 3 make perfect sense to me, all airports I use regularly and all IMHO very good.

Suvarnabhumi does nothing for me, I detest the design, to me it feels unfinished and has all the character of a morgue. I preferred Don Muang.

As for Samui airport, it belongs in a different survey, perhaps a survey of charming or novel airports and in that survey it indeed should be near the top. IMHO a real gem.