In a first-of-its-kind initiative, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited(GHIAL), which operates the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in the city, has deployed a team of over 50 passenger service associates (PSA) within the terminal to assist and support travellers.
These PSAs will play the role of passenger evangelists and also provide assistance to passengers with special needs such as expecting mothers, women travelling alone or with infants, senior citizens and passengers with reduced mobility among others, GHIAL said.
The initiative is part of a “Passenger is Prime (PIP)” programme launched by the airport operator.
The staff who have been chosen as PSAs were given special training by the Ramakrishna Math based in Hyderabad, on service orientation in order to help them better understand the needs of passengers and proactively provide assistance whenever required.
Easily identifiable in their turquoise green T-shirt with “Passenger is Prime” and “Happy to Help” engraved on the back, the PSAs will be available at points such as the check-in, security check, transfers, and security hold/boarding areas among others. Depending on the feedback from passengers, the initiative may be scaled up to cover more areas within the airport in the days to come, according to the airport operator.
“We are committed to providing best-in-class services to the passengers at Hyderabad airport. ‘Passenger is Prime’ is a concept which captures our philosophy and focus on passenger experience. Our relentless focus on the needs of the passengers has helped us reach and retain a position among the top three airports globally in Airport Service Quality for eight years in a row. In the latest rankings, we have been ranked world No. 1 in our category, which we see as a clear testimony to the faith and appreciation that our passengers have reposed on Hyderabad airport,” SGK Kishore, chief executive officer of GHIAL, told Business Standard.
Kishore also said they had already initiated steps to expand the airport’s capacity significantly as the annual traffic through Hyderabad has increased by around 45 per cent in two years.
The construction work is expected to begin in the next couple of months, according to the GHIAL CEO.