South Korea's Incheon International Airport has been named the world's best airport for the sixth straight year in the latest service quality survey taken by a global airport consultation group, the transportation ministry said Tuesday.
The top honor was granted by the Airports Council International (ACI), which carries out a survey on consumer satisfaction and service quality for major airports every year, according to the ministry. The ACI is a consultation group consisting of around 1,700 airport operators.
This marked the sixth straight year that Incheon International Airport, South Korea's main gateway, has taken the top spot in the latest survey. Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates topped the list for three consecutive years from 2001-2003.
The ministry attributed the honor to the government's intensifying drive to turn the airport into a hub in Northeast Asia, citing its recent efforts to improve passenger accessibility by strengthening transportation systems and expanding international routes among other measures.
Incheon Airport claimed two other top prizes -- Best Award among "mid- to large-range" airports and Best Award among competitors in the Asia-Pacific region, the ministry said.
Gimpo Airport, another South Korean airport located on the western outskirts of Seoul, was named the best airport among mid-range airports, while ranking sixth in overall service quality. It is the first time that the airport was included in the survey, the ministry noted.