World's top airport brands, but odd criteria...?

The company Brand Finance has released its inaugural report on the most valuable and strongest airport 'brands' with a list of the World's 'Top 25'.

There are several definitions of the word 'brand', including: 'a particular identity or image regarded as an asset.' Of course, just about everything is a brand now, from washing powders to pop groups to sporting celebrities, and image is everything. Some people and entities are better known for their image than for what they actually do.

In the report the big city airports dominate at the expense of smaller ones with a strong case and, among the interesting assessments, the exclusion of Dubai and other Middle East airports is a mystery.

The criteria used to establish this list are comprehensive but, even so, may need benefit from a closer review.