HKIA Customer Service Excellence Programme Award Applauds Over 900 Airport Staff for Outstanding Service

(HONG KONG, 2 June 2016)  –   Facing problems when travelling is always frustrating. Losing travel documents, being separated from family members, falling ill or having an accident are never pleasant. Nevertheless, over 73,000 staff at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) are always willing to go the extra mile to assist passengers in need, making their trips more enjoyable.

At today's annual award presentation ceremony for the HKIA Customer Service Excellence Programme (CSEP), over 900 airport staff were honoured for their excellent customer service, which helped to create a pleasant airport experience for all travellers at HKIA. Fred Lam, Chief Executive Officer of Airport Authority Hong Kong (AA), and Dr Peter Lam, Chairman of Hong Kong Tourism Board, officiated at the ceremony.

Mr Fred Lam extended his congratulations and gratitude to the awardees at the ceremony. He said, “This year, 44 organisations participated in this annual campaign, achieving a new record. Around 500 nominated cases competed for awards in the individual, corporate and cross-company categories, while over 900 airport staff were recognised, almost double the numbers of past years. This is a testament to the campaign’s success, which has earned huge support from the airport community. More importantly, it reflects the profound service culture at HKIA and our enthusiasm in providing customer-centric services.”       

Dr Peter Lam said at the ceremony, “Quality tourism service is an essential factor in drawing visitors to Hong Kong, along with well-established infrastructure. I am proud to see that there is a group of highly dedicated staff who help provide visitors with a unique and memorable experience in Hong Kong. The CSEP has recognised many outstanding staff of the airport community since it was launched. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all the awardees for raising the bar for service excellence and reinforcing Hong Kong’s image as a hospitable city.”

This year, the “Best Customer Service of the Year” of the "Cross-Company Excellence Awards" went to eight staff from Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airport Services Limited who facilitated a smooth journey for an earthquake rescue team. The airline staff were assigned to escort a team of firefighters, along with three rescue dogs, who travelled from Vancouver to Nepal via HKIA. Upon their arrival at HKIA, it was found that the health certificate of one rescue dog had expired. Understanding that the specially trained dogs were crucial to the search of earthquake survivors, the staff immediately took the initiative to contact the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and a local veterinarian for assistance, and the dog was certified to continue the journey. After the rescue mission, the team made a short stopover in Hong Kong. When checking in for the return flight back to Vancouver, a team member discovered he had left his bag at the hotel. With the help of ground staff and the hotel, the bag was successfully delivered to him at the airline’s check-in counter of the airport, allowing the full rescue team to return to Vancouver on schedule.

Meanwhile, Yan Chi-fuk, a Nixon Cleaning lavatory attendant, won the “Individual Excellence Award” for “Best Customer Service of the Year”. One day, an elderly man in a wheelchair entered the lavatory all by himself. Yan immediately approached the passenger and assisted him in using the facility. After cleaning the wet floor and tidying up for the passenger, Yan helped him to get back in his wheelchair to join his wife, who was waiting outside. Yan’s personal care impressed another passenger, who wrote a compliment letter to applaud his attentive service for a passenger in need.

The “Corporate Excellence Award” for “Best Customer Service of the Year” went to three staff from Plaza Premium Lounge, commended for their quick assistance to an elderly Filipino lady who fell near the boarding gate. After witnessing the accident, the staff immediately cleared the area and helped the passenger lie down in the right position to avoid further injury. Two of them carried out first-aid procedures on the lady, while the other staff, who was also a Filipino, spoke in his native language to comfort her until medical staff arrived.

In addition, the “Mystery Shopper Programme Excellent Service Award” was run for the second consecutive year to enhance the shopping and catering experience for passengers at HKIA. The AA has conducted mystery shopper survey on all retail and catering outlets regularly, covering staff grooming professional image, product knowledge, customer service and attitude, shop environment and more. Three best-performing outlets were awarded in the retail and catering sections respectively. This year, winners of the retail section were Chow Tai Fook, Gucci and IWC Schaffhausen; while The Spaghetti House, Starbucks and Grappa’s were the winners in the catering section.

The CSEP award was launched in 2002. By acknowledging the caring deeds and professionalism demonstrated by members of the airport community, the campaign aims to cultivate an airport-wide commitment to customer service excellence.