Kolkata airport aces service quality test, jumps 15 places on global list
Times of India | 25 April 2025
Kolkata: In a significant stride towards regaining pre-pandemic glory, Kolkata airport has achieved its highest quarterly ranking since Covid-19 disrupted global travel. According to the latest Airport Service Quality (ASQ) survey by the Airports Council International (ACI), the city airport soared from the 72nd position in the Oct-Dec 2024 quarter to the 57th place in Jan-March 2025.
The improvement reflects favourable responses across key parameters, including ease of making connections with flights, walking distance inside the airport terminal, retail outlet standards, availability of charging stations and reduced queueing time at security and check-in counters.
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The survey, however, showed passengers expressed dissatisfaction with several aspects, including the comfort and availability of seating in boarding gate areas, limited entertainment and leisure options, subpar WiFi service, and lingering issues with washroom hygiene.
The ASQ ranking, considered the gold standard for measuring airport service based on real-time passenger feedback, evaluated Kolkata airport across 31 parameters.
With an impressive score of 4.92 out of 5, Kolkata outperformed the global average of 4.3, signalling a strong comeback and setting a new internal benchmark. Among the 16 Airports Authority of India (AAI)-operated airports included in the survey, Kolkata showed the most dramatic improvement, outshining its earlier post-pandemic best ranking of 64, achieved in early 2023. Only two Indian airports — Trichy (54) and Goa (56) — managed to edge out Kolkata in the latest global ratings.
"We are proud to see the positive response from passengers. Their appreciation is truly meaningful to us. We're optimistic that these efforts will lead to even higher ratings. With this continued focus, we aim to further elevate the passenger experience and strengthen our standing in industry assessments," said airport director Pravat Ranjan Beuria.
The airport officials acknowledged the feedback and stressed that corrective actions were already underway. "New washrooms are being built, more seats are being added, and old carpets are being replaced with modern epoxy flooring to elevate the airport's look and feel," an airport spokesperson confirmed. "We're confident that these upgrades will reflect in even better ratings next quarter."
The strong performance also aligns with the govt's goal of achieving a minimum ASQ score of 4.7, a target set for the 2019–20 fiscal year. Except for Port Blair and Coimbatore, all participating airports — including Kolkata — have now surpassed that benchmark.