(Lebanon, N.H. – December 2, 2024) – The best international airport is Singapore Changi Airport, followed by Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport, Dubai International Airport, and Doha Hamad International Airport, according to the world’s most experienced travelers responding to the Global Rescue Fall 2024 Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey.   

“These airports have consistently raised the bar for service, innovation and convenience, providing travelers with a seamless experience from start to finish,” said Dan Richards, CEO of The Global Rescue Companies, the world’s leading provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services and a member of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board at the U.S. Department of Commerce. “These airports are known for their efficiency, comfort, and overall passenger experience.”  

Conversely, travelers listed the London Heathrow Airport, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, and Frankfurt Airport as the worst airports. Inefficient security processes, poor customer service, mishandling of traveler property, and overcrowding are among the main complaints cited by travelers about airports.  

The survey also revealed traveler attitudes about a pair of developing issues; cocktail limits and passport stamps.  

Travel industry leaders and staff have suggested limiting alcohol service in airports and in-flight. Most travelers responding to the survey (61%) said alcohol consumption should be left to the discretion of bartenders, flight attendants, or the individual traveler. Nearly a fifth (19%) said alcohol service should be limited to no more than one drink per 30 minutes, and 17% favored a limit of one drink per 60 minutes.  

Currently, none of the top-rated airports in the survey have strict alcohol limits. Individual airlines such as Emirates and Singapore Airlines have policies that allow flight attendants to stop serving alcohol if a passenger appears intoxicated. 

Richards pointed out the challenges in balancing customer service with safety, especially in airports and in-flight. “Travelers should always be responsible for their consumption,” he said, “but airports and airlines also have a duty to ensure the safety of all passengers.”  

Many travelers enjoy collecting passport stamps as souvenirs of their journeys, but those stamps are going away in Europe due to the introduction of the new automated Entry/Exit System (EES). The survey revealed that more than half of travelers (54%) would miss receiving passport stamps from the European Union’s Schengen Area countries. 

“The green, blue, black, and red passport stamps are for many travelers’ nostalgic reminders,” Richards said. “The removal of passport stamps is part of the broader trend towards digitization in travel, streamlining border crossings and making travel more efficient.”  

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Contact   

Bill McIntyre at bmcintyre@globalrescue.com or +1 (202) 560-1195 (phone/text) for more information.   

About the Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey   

Global Rescue, the leading travel risk and crisis response provider, surveyed more than 1,100 current and former members between October 1-20, 2024. The respondents revealed a variety of behaviors, attitudes and preferences regarding current and future travel.   

About Global Rescue   

The Global Rescue Companies are the world’s leading provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services to enterprises, governments and individuals. Founded in 2004, Global Rescue has exclusive relationships with the Johns Hopkins Emergency Medicine Division of Special Operations and Elite Medical Group. Global Rescue provides best-in-class services that identify, monitor and respond to client medical and security crises. Global Rescue has provided medical and security support to its clients, including Fortune 500 companies, governments and academic institutions, during every globally significant crisis of the last two decades. For more information, visit www.globalrescue