The Airports Council International (ACI) has named Moi International Airport (MIA) in Mombasa, Kenya the best airport in Africa. MIA ranked the best airport in size and region under two million passengers per year in Africa category for 2022. ACI noted that MIA stood out in its flawless customer service. ACI World Director General, Mr. Luis Felipe de Oliveir in a statement noted that Moi International Airport outdid itself in customer service.
“The recognition of MIA’s excellence in customer service comes after a challenging period for the aviation industry, marked by the Covid-19 pandemic,” Oliveir stated. He remarked that the ACI award to MIA was based on ACI’s renowned Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Survey.
Moi International Airport in Mombasa, Kenya. Photo/CIO Africa
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How Airports Council International Determines Best Airport in Africa
It reviews passenger customer service experience across 300 airports in the world. For MIA, it remained steadfast in its quest to offer customer satisfaction by providing the best services to passengers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The AVI director implored that the Mombasa-based Kenyan international airport demonstrated huge competency.
“I congratulate the whole team at Moi International Airport on their success in the Airport Service Quality Awards,” Olivier remarked. Airport staff is the driving force behind the ACI awards which passengers give their take on based on their service delivery.
How Good is Moi International Airport?
Alex Gitari, the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) Managing Director expressed gratitude in Moi International Airport winning an award as the Best Airport in Africa. He reiterated that KAA is continuously working to provide better customer experience despite aviation challenges facing the sector. The ACI Award to Kenyan second most famous airport with under two million passengers as the best in Africa, is just a reminder that Kenya is on the right track.
“This Award encourages us to continue improving our customer service offering and we sincerely thank our customers for their valuable feedback,” Gitari stated.
Airport Service Quality is the premier benchmarking and measuring programme for airport customer experience with nearly 400 member airports in 95 countries.
Where is Moi International Airport Found?
Moi International Airport is in Mombasa Kenya, and is the country’s second-largest international airport. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) is the biggest airport in Kenya, housing the Kenyan national carrier, Kenya Airways. In 2020, the Airports Council International named MIA the Best Airport in Africa with under two million passengers annually. It was named after Kenya’s second president Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi. The airport has two terminals; Terminal 1 for international flights and Terminal 2 for domestic flights.
Mombasa International Airport. Photo/Twitter/Mombasa County
Is Moi an International Airport?
As the name suggests, it’s an international airport built in 1945 during World War II courtesy South Africana Army Engineer Corps. Its construction intended to use it as a landing base for the Fleet Air Arm of the British Eastern Fleet near the Kilindini Harbour.
At the time when British Royal Air Force operated along the East African coast, the airport was known as Port Reitz Airport. An expansion plan in 1979 gave it the impetus it always sought after rebranding to Moi International Airport. From August 18, 1992, to December 2 1992, MIA served as the regional command and control headquarters for the US Central Command for Operation Deliver Relief. Today, international travellers from Europe looking at holiday destinations on Kenya’s coast have Moi International Airport as their arrival airport.
