Mumbai, Delhi emerge as world’s best airports in global passenger survey

MUMBAI: The next time you board a flight from Mumbai, do know you are stepping into the world’s best airport, according to Airports Council International (ACI), a trade association of 1,953 airports in 176 countries.


ACI announced its annual airport service quality (ASQ) awards on Tuesday and Mumbai tied with Delhi for the top position among airports handling over 40 million passengers annually. Beijing and Shanghai Pudong have been ranked second. With seven other airports making it to the top three (in various categories), India has the highest number of awards. China is second (six airports), followed by Indonesia (4).

“ASQ has statiscally validated the winners to ensure accuracy; as such, a tie indicates that no statistical difference has been found between the scores of two or more airports,” said ACI. The rankings are based on a survey that covers millions of passengers to collect feedback on 34 key performance indicators including airport access, check-in, security screening, restrooms, stores and restaurants. Within these, points were given for specifics like ground transportation to and fro airport, parking facilities, waiting time in check-in queue, efficiency of check-in, courtesy and helpfulness of airport staff, restaurant and eating facilities, value for money at these establishments, shopping facilities, value for money of shopping facilities, internet access, availability of and cleanliness of washrooms, cleanliness of terminal, ambience, arrival services like passport and customs inspection, speed of baggage delivery.

The Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport operated and managed by GVK’s Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL), and the Delhi airport, run by GMR, have also bagged the best airport award in the Asia Pacific region and in the combined category of region and size. In the 2016 ACI rankings, Mumbai along with Delhi and Singapore took the second rank in airports with over 40 million annual passengers category and those that fall in the Asia-Pacific region. Seoul Incheon took the first slot in both these categories.

Dr GVK Reddy, founder and chairman, GVK, said: “In 2007, when we had taken over the complete operations of the airport, the ASQ score was 3.53 and in 10 years we have got it to hover around 4.99 out of a maximum 5. It is a testimony to the quality service provided during 2017 to over 46 million travellers.”