delhi

Updated: Mar 06, 2018 23:35 IST

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has been ranked number one in the world on airport service quality ranking. Last year, in the highest category of handling over 40 million passengers per annum (MPPA), IGIA was number two, along with Singapore’s Changi Airport and after South Korea’s Incheon airport.

With 63.5 million passengers flying through the Delhi airport in 2017, it has surpassed Changi, Incheon and Bangkok airports in terms of passenger growth. It is now the seventh busiest airport in Asia and among the top 20 busiest airports across the world.

Airports Service Quality (ASQ) is the only worldwide programme to survey passengers at the airport on their day of travel. The programme measures passengers’ views on 34 key performance indicators, including airport access, check-in, security screening, restrooms, stores and restaurants. At least 74% of the world’s top 100 busiest airports are part of the ASQ network, which delivers 6,00,000 individual surveys per year in 42 languages in 84 countries.

The ranking has come at a time when Delhi airport is set for expansion and will see series of construction projects in the coming year.

“To sustain the top position will be a challenge. We focus on infrastructure, convenience and service to achieve the top position and will continue to do so. I can assure that during the expansion work, convenience of passengers will not be compromised. Of course, there will be some bottlenecks, but it will be manageable,” said I Prabhakara Rao, CEO, Delhi International Airport Ltd. (DIAL).

In 2011, the airport had achieved the position of World No. 2, which it retained for three consecutive years till 2013.

“As we witness robust traffic growth, we look forward to a strong collaboration and support of all airport stakeholders and partners. We are set to undertake the expansion works at Delhi Airport in line with IGIA Master Plan-2016. It will not just provide necessary infrastructure boost to facilitate high air traffic and passenger growth, but a delightful passenger experience with right fusion of technology and human touch,” said Srinivas Bommidala, Chairman-Airports, GMR Group.

In 2014, Delhi airport stepped up its position to number 1 rank in the world in the 25-40 MPPA category and retained the rank in 2015. The airport stood World No. 2 in the highest category of more than 40 million passengers per annum in 2016.

“The award is natural outcome of sheer focus, dedication, self-belief and hands on leadership of various partners of IGIA. This reflects the coherent contribution of government authorities, Union ministry of civil aviation, Airports Authority of India, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, Director General of Civil Aviation, ATC and others. Our sovereign agencies CISF, Immigrations, Customs, Delhi Police and Delhi Traffic Police contribute greatly by safeguarding the law of land while exhibiting service centric behaviour,” Rao said.