Safe Travel Barometer, the world’s most comprehensive database of COVID-19 health and safety protocols, and traveler experience initiatives announced by suppliers which influences traveler decisions in the new normal, announces an update to its Safe Travel Score for more than 400 airports worldwide.
Both UAE’s airports earn Safe Travel Score of 4.4 out of 5 based on an evaluation by Safe Travel Barometer
The Safe Travel Score is an industry-first COVID-19 rating initiative, created in the wake of recovery from the pandemic. For airports, the Safe Travel Score is based on an independent audit of 29 traveler health and safety measures, along with traveler convenience initiatives and overall traveler experience announced by airports, regulatory and government authorities to alleviate traveler anxiety and boost confidence.
The Safe Travel Score Methodology has evolved since it was first announced in August 2020. The process now assigns variable weights to all the initiatives depending on their importance. These initiatives are assigned to one of the three sub-categories (see below) which in turn have differential weights assigned to them, basis upon their gravity in the traveler’s decision-making and actual journey. The aggregated weights by sub-categories are rolled-up to arrive at the final Safe Travel Score.
The various initiatives announced by airlines are assigned to one of the following sub-categories. These initiatives have either a direct or psychological impact on traveler booking and traveling decision in the ‘new normal’:
- COVID-19 Safety Protocols
- Traveler Convenience
- Traveler Experience
Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) and Dubai International Airport (DXB) earned top accolades among airports in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, with a Safe Travel Score of 4.4 out of 5 each. UAE’s prominent international hubs have taken several proactive measures to enhance the passenger experience across the landside and airside areas. Abu Dhabi airport has also installed touchless Fit to Fly check-in kiosks and thermal cameras to constantly monitor passenger temperatures at various locations. They include mandatory use of disposable gloves and face masks by all passengers and an expanded four-hour check-in window to ensure a streamlined passenger screening. They also ensure frequent disinfection of the terminal building, escalators and common public areas.
Qatar’s Hamad International Airport (DOH) also made it to the MEA airport leaderboard with a Safe Travel Score of 4.4, similar to Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Other major airports in the region such as Israel’s Ben-Gurion International Airport (TLV) and Turkey’s Istanbul Airport (IST) achieved a rating of 4.3 each. None of the African airports made it to the MEA leaderboard. Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) was the leading African airport with a rating of 3.7 out of 5.
The MEA airports have the highest ratio of airports (37%) compared to other regions to earn a Safe Travel Score of 4.0 or above. Virendra Jain, Co-Founder and CEO, Safe Travel Barometer states, “The Middle Eastern airports are major gateways to the world. It is no surprise that these airports have sprinted ahead of others to implement measures that does not overwhelm but rather delight passengers in terms of their safety and overall airport experience. The Middle Eastern airports are flag-bearers of how airports in the new normal should operate.”
Singapore Changi Airport nets Safe Travel Score of 4.4 out of 5, based on an evaluation by Safe Travel Barometer
Safe Travel Barometer, the world’s most comprehensive database of COVID-19 health and safety protocols, and traveler experience initiatives announced by suppliers which influences traveler decisions in the new normal, today announces an update to its Safe Travel Score for more than 400 airports worldwide. The Safe Travel Score is an industry-first COVID-19 rating initiative, created in the wake of recovery from the pandemic. For airports, the Safe Travel Score is based on an independent audit of 29 traveler health and safety measures, along with traveler convenience initiatives and overall traveler experience announced by airports, regulatory and government authorities to alleviate traveler anxiety and boost confidence.
The Safe Travel Score Methodology has evolved since it was first announced in August 2020. The process now assigns variable weights to all the initiatives depending on their importance. These initiatives are assigned to one of the three sub-categories (see below) which in turn have differential weights assigned to them, basis upon their gravity in the traveler’s decision-making and actual journey. The aggregated weights by sub-categories are rolled-up to arrive at the final Safe Travel Score.
Singapore’s Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) topped the Asia Pacific airport landscape with a Safe Travel Score of 4.4 out of 5, followed closely by Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) with a Safe Travel Score of 4.3. Apart from implementing pro-traveler health and safety initiatives, the airports are also stressing on transparency in communication of safety measures with travelers. Also, frequent cleaning of airport terminals – from handrails, touchscreens, bathrooms to seating, handles, and elevator panels are practiced at regular intervals at most of the top-tier airports.
Other APAC airports that made it to the leaderboard include Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM), Haneda Airport (HND), Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) and Narita Airport (NRT). These airports had a Safe Travel Score of 4.3 in October 2020.
Virendra Jain, Co-Founder and CEO, Safe Travel Barometer, states, “From China to Singapore to Japan, Asian airports are truly setting the bar of what travelers come to expect in the new normal. About 25% of the 83 airports analyzed in APAC achieved a Safe Travel Score of 4.0 or above, which is among the highest ratio globally. The Asian airport experience is steadily getting enhanced for the new normal – a much needed respite for travelers.”
Heathrow achieves 4.4 out of 5 Safe Travel Score based on an assessment by Safe Travel Barometer
Safe Travel Barometer, the world’s most comprehensive database of COVID-19 health and safety protocols, and traveler experience initiatives announced by suppliers which influences traveler decisions in the new normal, today announces an update to its Safe Travel Score for more than 400 airports worldwide. The Safe Travel Score is an industry-first COVID-19 rating initiative, created in the wake of recovery from the pandemic. For airports, the Safe Travel Score is based on an independent audit of 29 traveler health and safety measures, along with traveler convenience initiatives and overall traveler experience announced by airports, regulatory and government authorities to alleviate traveler anxiety and boost confidence.
The Safe Travel Score Methodology has evolved since it was first announced in August 2020. The process now assigns variable weights to all the initiatives depending on their importance. These initiatives are assigned to one of the three sub-categories (see below) which in turn have differential weights assigned to them, basis upon their gravity in the traveler’s decision-making and actual journey. The aggregated weights by sub-categories are rolled-up to arrive at the final Safe Travel Score.
London’s Heathrow (LHR) emerged on the top of the European airport leaderboard with a Safe Travel Score of 4.4 out of 5 in October 2020. Despite COVID-19 challenges and a national lockdown in the U.K., Heathrow’s initiatives propelled it to the top of the European airport charts.
More recently, the Airports Council International Europe (ACI), a European trade association had called for a widespread COVID-19 testing to be introduced in airports in October 2020 to avoid quarantine protocols for travelers and help resume air traffic. Thus, several European airports made it to the top of the Safe Travel Score leaderboard in October 2020. Close at Heathrow’s heels are Greece’s Athens International Airport (ATH) and France’s Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) with a score of 4.3 each. Other major airports which made it to the leaderboard include Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), and Germany’s Dusseldorf International Airport (DUS) and Frankfurt Airport (FRA) with a score of 4.2 each.
Virendra Jain, Co-Founder and CEO, Safe Travel Barometer, states, “As air traffic picks up across Europe, travelers are seeking seamless experiences as part of the new normal. But our assessment of European airports reveals that it is far from reality. In fact, European airports have lots to catch up to compared to other regions; only 11% of 133 airports evaluated achieved a Safe Travel Score of 4.0 or more, which is second lowest worldwide after North America. With the region burdened by the second wave of COVID-19, airports have an additional responsibility to proactively implement safety initiatives without compromising on passenger experience, while also communicating them to facilitate travel recovery.”
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