Airports positioning themselves as luxury brands rather than travel hubs

New York

AS major airports around the world scramble to brand themselves as luxury entities rather than mere transportation centres, some have adopted a star-ranking system, like hotels. It was inevitable.

Munich Airport, calling itself "Bavaria's gateway to the world", boasts that it has become "Europe's first five-star airport". The five-star distinction was awarded in mid- March to the German airport and four other international airports by London air- travel research firm Skytrax, based on surveys completed by more than 13 million fliers in 2014.