I. Introduction
Travelers often encounter dirty airports, which can be a frustrating experience. Cleanliness is essential to ensuring a comfortable and safe travel experience for passengers. However, not all airports take cleanliness as seriously as they should, resulting in an unsatisfactory experience for travelers. In this article, we explore which airports have the cleanest facilities and environment, and the criteria used to determine airport cleanliness. We also compare domestic and international airport cleanliness, offer insights from airport representatives, custodial staff, and travelers, and take a closer look at the innovative cleaning methods being used at some airports to maintain hygiene.
II. Top 5 airports with the cleanest facilities and environment
The top five airports with the cleanest facilities and environment, according to research conducted by Skytrax are:
- Tokyo Haneda International Airport (Japan)
- Incheon International Airport (South Korea)
- Munich Airport (Germany)
- Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (Taiwan)
- Changi Airport Singapore (Singapore)
These airports pride themselves on a clean and comfortable environment for passengers to enjoy during their travel. They use innovative cleaning methods and frequently audit the hygiene levels to ensure that the airports remain clean. For instance, Changi Airport Singapore has over 500 cleaning staff, and Incheon International Airport uses robots to clean floors and dispose of trash.
III. Criteria for determining airport cleanliness
Airports authorities use various criteria to determine whether a facility is clean or not. The standards include regular cleanliness audits, the frequency of floor cleaning, availability of hand sanitizing stations, and pest control measures, among others.
For example, Changi Airport Singapore regularly conducts swabs to measure bacteria levels on high touch point areas such as lift buttons, door knobs, and escalator handrails.
IV. Domestic vs international airport cleanliness
Domestic and international airports face different challenges when it comes to cleanliness. According to a study conducted by the Skytrax survey, international airports, on average, score higher in terms of cleanliness compared to domestic airports. This is because international airports handle more travelers, resulting in higher foot traffic, and therefore, leading to higher cleaning needs.
However, there are exceptions to the rule. For example, Japan’s Tokyo Haneda Airport, which made it to the top of our cleanest airports list, is a domestic hub.
V. Insight from airport representatives, custodial staff, and travelers
We spoke with airport representatives, custodial staff, and travelers to get their insights on what makes certain airports cleaner than others. The responses we received listed the following factors:
- Frequent cleaning and sanitation
- Availability of hand sanitizing stations
- Training of cleaning staff on hygiene best practices
- Use of innovative cleaning methods and tools such as robots and UV lights
- Strict observation of cleanliness standards and audits
One aviation professional stated: “A clean and smoothly functioning airport sends a message to air travelers that the airport and the country take safety and sanitation seriously.”
VI. Innovative cleaning methods
The adoption of innovative cleaning methods is crucial to maintain a clean and hygienic airport environment. Airports are increasingly investing in robotics and automation to perform daily cleaning tasks, such as floor mopping, trash removal, and toilet cleaning. These methods are not only efficient but also reduce human contact, which may lead to lower rates of infections spread.
Some airports are using UV-C technology to disinfect high contact surfaces like escalator handrails and elevator buttons. The UV-C irradiation penetrates the microbial membranes of bacteria and viruses, rendering them inactive.
VII. Conclusion
Airport cleanliness is critical to ensure a safe and comfortable travel experience for passengers. The top-rated airports with the cleanest facilities and environment are Tokyo Haneda International Airport, Incheon International Airport, Munich Airport, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, and Changi Airport Singapore. These airports use innovative cleaning methods and frequently audit their facilities to ensure that hygiene levels remain high.
As a traveler, you can take steps to ensure you have a clean and hygienic airport experience by packing hand sanitizing gel and wipes in your bags, try to visit airports with a good reputation of cleanliness-based on previous reviews from fellow travelers, and if possible, plan a trip during off-peak travel times as cleaners tend to struggle to clean up during peak periods. As travelers return to the skies post-pandemic, airports must prioritize cleanliness and hygiene to ensure the travelers feel safe and comfortable as the industry slowly starts to recover.