Winning the same award three years on the bounce might become a little routine for some.
But after a hat-trick of being named North Americas best airport, the people down at YVR are just as thrilled as they were when winning the accolade in 2010.
Vancouver International Airport was last week again named Best Airport in North America as part of the 2012 Skytrax World Airport Awards. YVR also ranked in the top ten airports worldwide.
The awards, announced in Vienna, recognize product and service quality across the worlds airport industry and are based on an independent survey of 12 million passengers from 108 countries.
Airports were ranked based on 39 criteria, including design and layout, retail facilities, cleanliness, clarity of flight information and signs, luggage handling and transportation.
For us, were really, really excited and really proud of the workforce, Vancouver Airport Authoritys (VAA) vice president of community and environmental affairs, Anne Murray, told the News.
Its a credit to the 23,600 people who work here, because we all interact with the passengers in some way.
The morale boost from winning such lavish praise can be felt reverberating through every terminal, restaurant and retail outlet, Murray said.
We hear feedback from both the Airport Authority employees and our business partners, she added.
Even the retail tenants, the people who work in the shops, who deal with passengers all the time, get a boost from this kind of award.
The fact that the votes are cast by the passengers who use the airports and not industry experts lends the title more credibility and depth, according to Murray.
Thats why its so meaningful, the jurors are the travelers who use the airport, she said.
There was 39 different criteria; including retail, cleanliness, clarity of signage and customer service.
The people that use the airport I think recognize the quality and the exceptional customer service.
Much has been made in recent months of the increasing amount of Canadians, especially in the Lower Mainland, border-hopping to jump on flights markedly cheaper than flying from YVR.
With another top award in the bag, however, Murray is confident more locals will recognize that Vancouvers airport has more to offer than cut-price flights.
I think we provide really good value to the passengers. Price is one thing, sometimes it is cheaper to fly from the U.S., she said.
But when you think of the choice you have in terms of where you can fly to YVR and the choice of services we have, we hope that passengers see that.
I think peoples time is valuable and hope that convenience is important also.
Awards aside, YVR was criticized recently for deciding to up its Airport Improvement Fee (AIF) a 19-year-old fee levied at every passenger from $15 to $20, starting next month.
But, judging by the manner in which the airport is received by people who voted it the best on the continent once more, its going to be money well spent, insists Murray.
That fee goes into all the facilities and we think weve done a good job using that money appropriately for the airport, she said, pointing out the fee is still lower than the likes of Calgary, Edmonton and Montreal.
The fee will be used to speed up the baggage systems and ensure passengers and their bags are connected.
We know people in Richmond are so proud of the airport and are so proud to come home and have it right on their doorstep.
