SAN ANTONIO — Leaders at San Antonio International Airport are smiling after the local facility was named one of the best airports in the world.
“There’s some cities that are real bottlenecks to get through, and this is just real nice. Easy to the gate. I like it,” said frequent flyer Ken Zak.
Based on the stickers on traveler Zak’s luggage, it's clear this guy gets around. He has stickers from Virginia, Oregon, Arizona, Wyoming, Utah and of course Texas. He recovers trucks for a shipping company, and it has him traveling so much, it gets hard to keep track.
“I’ve been to 26 so far this year – or 28?” Zak said. “I just looked at my tab, I think 28 flights I’ve taken so far in 2021.”
Either way, he’s seen his share of airports.
When he heard the San Antonio International Airport won the airports council international’s roll of excellence award for their service, he says it wasn’t much of a surprise.
“It’s just the ease of movement, I mean. I’ve checked in and I’m to my gate in 30 minutes or so,” Zak said. “I’m at some airports where I always give myself a couple hours and it always takes an hour and a half to get to your gate.”
Mascots and city officials joined the airport in unveiling the award this morning. It is given to airports that consistently win the organizations airport service quality awards over a period of five years.
“Only two airports in the U.S. received it, and only six in the entire world,” said San Antonio’s Director of Airports Jesus Saenz, Jr.
“We’re very honored and humbled by the accomplishment, but we continue to work and strive hard to ensure that we’re providing the best level of service to our passengers,” he said.
Zak thinks the airport’s success has a lot to do with the hospitable nature of the people who work there. It's something he’s also noticed in the rest of San Antonio.
“A very hospitable town. I mean, you don’t get that feeling when you get into some big cities in this day and age. You just don’t,” he said.
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