Safe Travel Barometer ranks airports for COVID-19 health and safety measures

Singapore’s Changi airport achieves the top Travel Safe Score globally

Safe Travel Barometer has followed up the launch of its airlines rating with a scoring system for airports, which sees Singapore’s Changi names the safest of more than 200.

The Safe Travel Score is claimed to be an industry-first independent audit of airports and 20 traveller health and safety measures they have brought in during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Safe Travel Barometer says the score is “an indicator of the preparedness of the travel industry as part of the ‘new normal’”.

Singapore’s Changi Airport achieve a score of 4.7 out of 5 due to measures it has taken to implement a touchless experience at check-in, immigration and throughout the airport.

Close behind came Frankfurt Airport, Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport and Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, each tied on 4.6 out of 5.

UAE’s Abu Dhabi International Airport and Dubai International Airport (DXB) were tied on 4.5.

Airports which made it to the global top ten achieved a Safe Travel Score of more than 4.3 out of 5.

Not a single airport from North America made it to the global top ten, due to the relatively slow pace of implementation.

Virendra Jain, co-founder and chief executive, Safe Travel, said: “Airports play a critical role in easing the passengers into the new normal.

“They are the first line of defence in ensuring a safe and less anxious travel. Overnight, hundreds of airports worldwide had to upend their operational processes; research, evaluate and implement a variety of initiatives to ensure traveller and crew safety and comfort, while also minimising the chances of COVID-19 transmission.

“The successive release of the Safe Travel Score for airlines and airports allows us to piece together a holistic view of air travel, beginning from the airside all the way through on-board experiences.

“Our independent rating centred on traveller health and safety measures establishes a baseline for travel brands, while equally offering travellers a glimpse into what they can expect in their journeys.”