Hong Kong International Airport has been voted the world's best airport for the seventh time in eight years in the annual Skytrax survey, which polled more than 8.2 million travellers of over 97 nationalities.

Conducted from last August to May this year, the World Airport Survey rated more than 190 airports on  40 product and service categories.

Airport Authority Chief Executive Officer Stanley Hui said it is a great honour to be recognised again as the world's finest airport.

"To meet growing demand and maintain our high service standards, we have launched a $4.5 billion enhancement programme for Terminal 1 and the airfield. We are working hard to minimise the inconvenience to passengers during the improvements, which will be completed by 2011," he added.

Skytrax Chief Executive Officer Edward Plaisted said: "To retain the title of world's best airport among such strong competition is clear testament to an airport that is satisfying its customers at the highest level.

"Like any other business, an airport is striving to deliver world-class standards that will make a customer want to use it again, and achieving this level of loyalty requires the highest levels of quality consistency - something where Hong Kong was singled out again and again during the survey."