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Next time when you visit one of the smaller airports, don't be surprised if an official hands you a form to fill up. It is only to understand the customer satisfaction level in the airport — an exercise that Airports Authority of India (AAI) takes up regularly in smaller airports, including Lucknow, Leh and Khajuraho, across the country.
More airports included
This time, however, the number of airports has been increased to 53 from the earlier 40. AAI manages a total of 125 airports, including 11 international airports, eight Customs airports, 81 domestic airports and 25 civil enclaves at the Defence airfields.
AAI will engage a third-party to take up the survey from August or September with a total sample size to be nearly 18,000 passengers, according to an official.
significant improvement
Such an exercise in the past led to a ‘significant' improvement in the smaller airports across the country.
The average customer satisfaction level has improved to nearly 80 per cent last year as against 53 per cent in 1980.
AAI plans to appoint a consultant to carry out four rounds of survey on half-yearly basis over the next two years. The sample size in each round will be 18,000 passengers, he said.
The targeted group to carry out the survey shall be international and domestic departing passengers only.
Cover all facilities
The survey will cover all the facilities and services such as access, check-in, passport and personal identification control, security, finding the exit, airport facilities and airport environment.
The survey will be conducted in period of one week on round-the-clock basis (during flight times) on each of the 53 airports.
The official said that in a similar survey done earlier, Lucknow airport was judged the best with a rating of 90 per cent.
“We hope to see a lot of improvement this year as improvement works has been carried out in a number of airports, including Madurai and Tuticorin,” he said.
The official said international benchmarking and customer satisfaction survey for Chennai and Kolkata airports is being conducted through Airports Council International – Airports Service Quality programme on a quarterly basis.
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