About 100 guests gathered this morning at Munich Airport to celebrate Munich's selection as the "European champion" in the World Airport Awards 2010. The renowned London-based aviation research institute Skytrax surveyed almost 10 million passengers around the world about their favorite airports. This morn-ing Georg Fahrenschon, the Bavarian finance minister and chairman of the Su-pervisory Board of FMG, Munich Airport's operating company, and airport CEO Dr. Michael Kerkloh accepted the award from Skytrax director Edward Plaisted.

In global rankings Munich Airport was number four behind Singapore, Seoul and Hong Kong. More than 163 airports were evaluated. Munich Airport achieved at least four of a possible five stars in all 33 categories, and received top ratings from passengers for its outstanding transit passenger service and its attractive dining and leisure amenities: In each of these three categories the Bavarian hub was voted number three worldwide. The friendliness and competence of the air-port staff was a decisive factor in the high marks awarded to Munich Airport.

Michael Kerkloh sees the enormous esteem enjoyed by Munich Airport as the result of a remarkable team effort delivered day in , day out by the 500 compa-nies and government bodies working on the airport campus: "I am convinced that Munich Airport has an extraordinary level of team spirit that has inspired highly effective cooperation here for years." The airport CEO added, "As long as we work on this culture of cooperation and maintain our strong sense of identity as Munich Airport, we will be in a position to successfully deal with the chal-lenges ahead."

In the World Airport Awards, international airports and airlines undergo close scrutiny by their customers every year. Munich Airport previously was voted Eu-rope's best airport for four consecutive years from 2005 to 2008.

The world's ten best airports in 2010 with their 2009 rankings:
2010 2009
1. Singapore (3.)
2. Seoul (1.)
3. Hong Kong (2.)
4. Munich (5.)
5. Kuala Lumpur (7.)
6. Zurich (4.)
7. Amsterdam (8.)
8. Beijing (17.)
9. Auckland (10.)
10. Bangkok (16.)