Gold Coast Airport wins for best staff at World Airport Awards

Staff at Gold Coast Airport are celebrating after it was rated best in two categories at the prestigious World Airport Awards in London.

THE Gold Coast is officially home to Australia’s best airport staff, with the airport picking up two major international awards.

The airport won the award for Best Airport Staff in the Australian Pacific region at the 2019 Skytrax World Airport Awards in London overnight.

The awards are based on 13.5 million passenger surveys conducted at more than 550 airports globally.

The airport was also named the best regional airport in the region.

It is the fourth time it has won the award in nine years.

The Coast ranked 45th overall in the world, up from 55 in 2018.

Gold Coast Airport Chief Operating Officer Marion Charlton with volunteer Ambassadors Annette and Jim. Pic: Gold Coast Airport

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It was Australia’s third highest ranking airport, behind Brisbane at 18 and Melbourne, 23.

Gold Coast Airport Chief Operating Officer Marion Charlton said the awards were a credit to the more than 2,200 people who worked in the airport precinct.

“What makes these awards so special is that we don’t self-nominate — the awards are based on surveys by the travelling public,” she said.

“We have no doubt our friendly volunteer airport Ambassadors have contributed to our success in this area.

Gold Coast Airport welcomed a record 6.6 million passengers last financial year.

Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted congratulated the airport team for winning two important customer satisfaction awards.

“The Staff Service awards are a very special honour for airports. The award recognises the combined quality of all customer-facing staff service (attitude, friendliness and efficiency) delivered across frontline positions at Gold Coast Airport,” he said.

In a coup for southeast Queensland Brisbane was recognised at the best airport overall for Australia and the Pacific.

The southeast is the only Australian destination to win an award at the 2019 event.

Internationally Singapore’s Changi Airport won the award for the world’s best for the seventh year running with Tokyo Haneda and Seoul Incheon rated in the top three.