KUALA LUMPUR: Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and Langkawi have been ranked first among 355 airports in a recent Airport Service Quality (ASQ) survey by Airport Council International (ACI).
However, concerns have been raised regarding the representativeness and statistical validity of a recent passenger satisfaction survey that ranked KLIA as the top airport globally.
The survey, which gathered feedback from 352 passengers, was conducted against the backdrop of KLIA's impressive 14.5 million passengers in the third quarter of 2024.
Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) secretary-general and chief executive officer Saravanan Thambirajah said the small sample size - representing just 0.0024 per cent of the total passenger count - might not reflect the full spectrum of experiences at the airport.
While passengers have noted improvements in KLIA's service levels in recent months, particularly in areas like cleanliness and efficiency, he expressed concern over the representativeness of the 352-passenger sample used in the survey.
He pointed out that larger and more diverse sampling would provide a more balanced and reliable assessment.
"For a population size like KLIA's 14.5 million passengers, a more statistically robust sample size, closer to 1,000 respondents, would provide better confidence in the results.
"A sample of 352 might lead to biases or skewed results, especially if the respondents are not representative of different demographics, flight types or service usage," he told Business Times.
Despite the commendable improvements, Saravanan said the small sample size raises questions about the validity of ranking KLIA as the best airport globally.
While the airport's strides in service quality are laudable, he said transparency in the survey methodology and broader data would be crucial for stakeholders to draw comfort from such claims.
In Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd's independent advice circular report recently, the independent directors specifically said KLIA and Langkawi's ranking is on par with renowned airports like Changi and Incheon.
Saravanan said comparisons with other airports, particularly global leaders like Changi and Incheon, further highlight the need for careful interpretation of KLIA's standing.
Changi and Incheon have consistently ranked high due to their comprehensive facilities, seamless connectivity, and passenger-centric innovations.
While KLIA has made significant strides, he added that the airport may still have some distance to cover before it can be truly compared on equal footing.
KLIA operator MAHB is being privatised by Gateway Development Alliance (GDA) consortium under a takeover offer at RM11 per share.
GDA and its shareholders, including Khazanah Nasional Bhd and the Employees Provident Fund, are nearing the 90 per cent acceptance threshold required to delist MAHB from Bursa Malaysia.
As of 5:00pm on Jan 8, the consortium reported valid acceptances for 1.4 billion shares, representing 84.12 per cent of MAHB's total issued shares.
Earlier in the week, GDA and MAHB announced an extension of the timeline to 5:00pm on Jan 17.
The extension provides the consortium additional time to achieve the required acceptance level.