The director of the largest airport in central Vietnam claimed Friday to local media that his airport has been ranked among the best in the world by a Hong Kong-based airline.

Da Nang International Airport, located in the eponymous city known as Vietnam’s central hub, is the third best airport in the world according to a recent survey by Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Limited, operating as Dragonair, director Le Xuan Tung said.

Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat airport, the largest in Vietnam, only stands in 19^th place out of the 96 airports surveyed, while Hanoi’s Noi Bai terminal is not listed, according to Tung.

But Tuoi Tre News was unable to find any information on the survey on Dragonair’s website.

Tung, the first to inform the press of the news, confirmed to the Vietnam News Agency yesterday afternoon that he had received the survey results from Dragonair.

“This is encouragement for Da Nang International Airport to continue enhancing its service quality to better serve passengers,” he said.

Tung said Dragonair began surveying the terminal and aviation service quality at 96 airports it operates at in June. The airline collected feedback from passengers on the attitude of airport clerks, the infrastructure and landscape, and non-aviation services at the terminals, he added.

Tung said it is no surprise for Da Nang airport to be in the world’s top three as “we have always listened to passenger feedback to improve our services over the years.”

Da Nang International Airport was commissioned in December 2011.

Vo Huy Cuong, deputy head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, told the Vietnam News Agency that the domestic terminal at the airport is “the best of its kind in Vietnam,” despite its small area and rather low traffic density.

Cuong added, however, that the terminal must do better to live up to the potential of an international airport.

“That a Vietnamese airport receives a positive evaluation from an international airline is a hopeful sign in the country’s bid to improve the image of its airports,” he was quoted by the newswire as saying.

The news was immediately spread by local media, hailing the Da Nang terminal for “saving face” for Vietnamese airports, after the country’s two major terminals, Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat, were listed among the worst in Asia by an airport review website.

The Guide to Sleeping in Airports said Noi Bai is “frequently noted for being hot, chaotic and not especially clean,” while describing Tan Son Nhat as having average facilities, but fluctuating cleanliness levels.

Deputy Transport Minister Pham Quy Tieu said Monday that the poll survey results must be respected, admitting that the major airports in the Southeast Asian country lack friendliness.

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