The title of Best Airport in the Indian Ocean has been won by SSR International Airport in the 2014 World Airport Awards organised by Skytrax – a UK based consultancy whose awards are voted for by customers and are known as the Oscars of the airline and airport industries.

SSR International Airport also claimed 4^th place in the rankings of best airports in Africa, 6^th place for best airport staff in Africa, and 10^th in the world rankings of airports with fewer than 5 million passengers.

The award comes just six months after the inauguration of the airport’s brand new passenger terminal – the largest structure ever built in Mauritius – which will accommodate up to 4.5 million passengers per year, doubling the airport’s capacity.

Design and architecture of the airport

The new steel and glass structure’s defining feature is its roof, which is modelled on the ravenala palm, more commonly known as the Traveller’s Tree - a plant found all across Mauritius. A central section symbolises the trunk, with the ‘palm leaves’ extending to the sides, providing cover for the boarding lounges from where passengers have views over the mountains and Blue Bay lagoon. Constructed from 140,000 tonnes of steel – equivalent to one and a half times the weight of the Eiffel Tower – the overall feel is one of lightness and space.

'This new terminal will play a key role in the economic development of Mauritius; this new world-class airport is intended to better fulfill the demands of the island’s growing tourist industry,' said Guillaume Sauvé, Chairman and CEO of the terminal’s architecture firm ADPI.

The terminal places a huge emphasis on passenger comfort, with an increase in the number of check-in counters, immigration counters and shopping areas, as well as investing in public spaces and paying close attention to lighting and planting for the optimum passenger experience.

Visit the World Airport Awards website for full details of 2014’s categories and winners.

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