By Tuba Sahin
ANKARA (AA) - Istanbul Airport gained top global recognition on Tuesday by being named a 5-star airport by London-based air transport rating agency Skytrax, the mega-airport said in a statement.
Rising to the top of global aviation rankings with its unique architecture, strong infrastructure, superior technology, and high-level travel experience, Istanbul Airport became one of just eight major 5-star hub Airports in the world to earn the prestige rating.
It also received recognition as a 5-Star COVID-19 Airport rating thanks to measures taken to stem the spread of coronavirus, including extensive signage and passenger guidance, numerous hand sanitization facilities, personal protective equipment (PPE) disposal points, social distancing adaptions, and a dedicated Bio-Safety Team to enforce these protocols.
Istanbul Airport is just the fourth airport in the world to receive the award after Fiumicino Airport in Rome, Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar, and El Dorado Airport in Bogota, Colombia.
It also gained the privilege of being the airport with the biggest terminal in the world to earn the 5-star rating.
London-based Skytrax has been providing quality audits, star grading, and quality comparison services for airports and airlines since 1989.
Kadri Samsunlu, the CEO and general manager of IGA, which runs the airport, stressed that it had established a customer-oriented culture.
"We will advance this even further, and our work in this respect is continuing apace," he added.
Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted said Istanbul Airport is an outstanding engineering achievement with its terminal, which boasts a capacity of 90 million passengers.
"This grand airport has an impressive diversity of passenger facilities, with an ease of accessibility to different terminal areas," he added.