Pune Airport loses several ranks on Airport Service Quality Index

Pune: The Pune International Airport has failed in providing good facilities to air passengers. The airport’s rank has dropped on the Airport Service Quality Index (ASQI). As the number of passengers is steadily increasing at the Pune Airport, the quality of service is decreasing.

It has come to the fore that air passengers are majorly inconvenienced as facilities provided at the airport are falling short. Air travellers expect that the airport’s rank will go up in the future as the Union Civil Aviation Minister Murlidhar Mohol hails from Pune.

The ASQI was declared after a survey conducted by the Airports Council International (ACI). They survey 400 airports in 95 countries across the world. As many as 14 airports from India are included in them. The Pune Airport dropped to the 76th place in the first quarter from April to June of this year. It has got 4.81 points out of 5 points. In the earlier quarter, the airport was at the 71st rank with 4.83 points. This indicates the decreasing quality of facilities at the airport.

The ASQI is decided on 31 important factors. They include seating arrangement at the airport entrance, ease of finding a way by passengers, correct communication about take-offs and arrivals, distance between the airport and the terminal, courtesy shown by airport staff, quality of Wi-Fi service, availability of charging stations, options for entertainment and leisure, washrooms, care for hygiene, cleanliness and ambience. The Pune Airport’s rank has dropped in 16 out of 31 services.

What is lacking at the airport

Following are the reasons why the Pune Airport could not improve its rank on the ASQI: The ease of locating check-in area; courtesy shown by the staff at the check-in counter; delay in security checks; courtesy shown by security personnel; shops at the airport; courtesy shown by the Customs staff; seating arrangement at the airport; quality of the Wi-Fi service; availability of charging stations; entertainment and leisure facilities; availability of washrooms; clean washrooms; health safety; cleanliness on the airport premises and air connectivity from the airport.

QUOTE

Countries across the world are focusing on upgrading their airport services through advanced technology, passenger-centric quality service and experience. The airport administration needs to take care that air passengers have a pleasant experience while travelling from the Pune Airport. I hope the recently opened new terminal will fulfil passengers’ expectations,”

• Dhairyasheel Vandekar, Expert, Civil Aviation