New Delhi:
Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) was today conferred the fourth best airport award in the world and 'Best Improved Airport' in the Asia Pacific Region in recognition of its substantial improvement in passenger amenities.
The awards were presented by Airport Council International, the apex body of airports across the world, which has 575 members operating over 1,633 airports in 179 countries.
The IGIA bagged the awards after the ACI considered 36 parameters related to passenger amenities and infrastructure.
It received the fourth best airport award in the category of airports handling 15-25 million passenger traffic per annum while the Baltimore airport in the USA topped the
list.
The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad has been conferred with the world's number one airport in 5 to 15 million passengers category.
The award for IGIA was received by CEO of Delhi International Airport Ltd P S Nair at a glittering ceremony attended by who's who of aviation industry world-wide.
"This dual distinction is a great motivating factor for us. The achievement is a result of the effort put in by all the stakeholders at the airport and I would like to thank
them all for their support. We are confident that with the opening of the swanky T3 terminal in July, IGAI's rating will improve even further," he said.
Delhi International Airport Limited is a joint venture consortium led by global infrastructure major GMR which took charge of the airport in May 2006 under the public private
partnership initiative of Civil Aviation Ministry.
The upcoming T3 terminal will have a capacity of 34 million passenger traffic per annum and will become operational in July.
The ACI rates the airports on 34 parametres which included services of key regulatory agencies at the airport like customs, immigration, security, ground handling, ambience
of the airport, cleanliness of the terminals, passenger satisfaction etc.
The annual airport service quality awards are considered very prestigious across the world.