SINGAPORE — Another day, another "best airports" survey and another top rank for Changi Airport, undoubtedly one of Singapore's crown jewels.

World of Statistics, a popular account on X (formerly Twitter) with 3.3 million followers, shared a list on Tuesday (Oct 10) of the "World's best airports 2023".

Changi Airport took the top spot, followed by Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar ranking second and Tokyo's Haneda International Airport in Japan as third on the list.

In less than 24 hours, the post has been retweeted 1,050 times and gotten 6,030 likes and 620 replies.

X users were quick to concur, sharing their praise for "the best airport by miles" and its "stunning indoor waterfall".

Jewel Changi Airport's Rain Vortex, cascading down seven storeys, is the world's tallest indoor waterfall and a popular tourist spot.

A top reply to the post read: "Changi Airport in Singapore is not just an airport, it's an experience in itself. With its stunning architecture, efficiency and an array of amenities, it's one of the world's best airports."

An X user based in the United States said: "Singapore's airport is amazing and their airport security model needs to be adopted by all. No security checkpoints until you board your plane."

In another top reply, one user wrote in Thai: "Changi is really good, feels organised and fast. I used to allow only 45 to 50 minutes to leave the office in time to catch the flight. Suvarnabhumi (Airport in Bangkok, Thailand) takes three hours every round."

Though many people online disagreed with other airports ranked in the list, Changi Airport's position remained nearly undisputed.

Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Airport, for one, found its fifth-place position hotly contested. As one British online user declared: "CDG is a cesspit, but I totally agree with Changi, Hamad, Munich, Madrid and Seoul being in the top 10."

One online user from India said: "Singapore I can understand, but Zurich in (the) top 10? Surprise."

Likewise, Indian financial expert and entrepreneur Manish Chokhani questioned why "the fabulous Indian airports" were ranked lower than European and American airports, before adding: "Singapore, Doha are a class apart of course, no quibbles."

A Korean user stated: "I am Korean and naturally proud of Incheon Airport in our country. However, I can say that Singapore Changi Airport was the best airport I have ever visited. It's really cool and fantastic."

Some people, however, were dissatisfied with the rankings because there was a lack of research methodology mentioned in the original tweet.

One X user asked: "What metric is this graded on? Just seems so subjective."

Another mocked: "Has the person who made this list ever been at an airport?"

Critics even took to the Community Notes segment to provide further context to the list, writing: "No source or criteria was provided, meaning the information is not definitive; the 'best airport' is entirely down to speculation."

World of Statistics is listed on Facebook in the "personal blog" category and covers global statistical data across a wide range of categories from energy consumption to world population figures. 

Though the account did not state a methodology for its "best airports" list, the results seem to share similar rankings to London-based consultancy Skytrax's World Airport Awards 2023 list.

In this year's World Airport Awards, which is often recognised as the leading benchmark for the aviation industry, Changi Airport reclaimed its crown after losing its eight-year winning streak during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The airport reigned as World's Best Airport for eight consecutive years from 2013 to 2020 — marking the longest winning streak in World Airport Awards history — before losing to Hamad International Airport and Tokyo International Airport in Haneda in 2021 and 2022.

This year, Changi Airport also won Skytrax's awards for World's Best Airport Dining and World's Best Airport Leisure Amenities, while Crowne Plaza Changi Airport was named World's Best Airport Hotel for an eighth consecutive year.

Still, the well-loved airport is not without its detractors.

One user, in response to the overwhelming praise for Changi Airport in the original X thread, said: "We must be talking about different airports... the airport has carpet everywhere, which makes it difficult to roll suitcases."

Another user going by the username "sonny_da_man" responded sarcastically: "Never mind that. It has a waterfall."

In other replies on the thread, "sonny_da_man" called the Rain Vortex "ridiculous", asking: "Seriously, who needs to see a man-made waterfall inside an airport?

"It doesn't matter if it is beautiful, nobody cares for one inside an airport... The Japanese airports should be tops. Arriving and departing from (the Haneda and Narita) airports are hassle-free. No frills nor gimmicks. Just practical."

In response, one Changi Airport defender said: "Don't care about the waterfall but love that it’s super efficient."

Another agreed: "(The) Singapore airport was excellent long before Jewel or Terminal 4 were built."

Singaporean online users also chimed in, with one bragging: "Nobody hangs out at an airport but Changi is so good that us locals actually go there to hang out, shop, eat!"