Remarkable record

Airport has not lost any luggage since it was founded

At Kansai International Airport, travelers' belongings are in good hands.(Bild: Paylessimages)

Every year, the best airports in the world are chosen as part of the World Airport Awards. Passengers have to rate the cleanliness, staff, gastronomy, comfort and shopping facilities, among other things. The current top 3 are Doha-Hamad, Singapore-Changi and Seoul-Incheon. Although Kansai International Airport in Osaka Prefecture only came 18th in the latest voting, the airport is ahead in one category - and has been for a very long time.

Since it opened 30 years ago, not a single piece of luggage has been lost at Japan's seventh-largest airport - and that with around 30 million passengers a year. This was recognized at the "World Airport Awards" in a separate category: the best baggage handling in the world.

Kansai International Airport was built on a coastal island.(Bild: APA/AFP)

"We just do our job"
However, the staff in Osaka don't find this worth mentioning. A press spokesperson modestly told the news channel CNN on Wednesday: "We don't feel that we've done anything special." Of course they are happy about the award. "But we are simply doing our daily work," the spokesperson continued. Indirectly, the airport management hinted that luggage could very well be lost. However, this would be the fault of the airlines involved or other airports from where the passengers were arriving or where they were flying to.

Passengers at Kansai International Airport(Bild: APA/AFP/JIJI PRESS)

Kansai International Airport was opened in 1994. It is located on a man-made island four kilometers long and 1.2 kilometers wide in Osaka Bay.