Delhi and Mumbai airports beat world's best in latest ACI rankings

Both were adjudged world's best in Airports Council International's list of busiest airports in terms of annual passenger traffic.

PTI file photo of Delhi's IGI.

New Delhi: The Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi and Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport have been adjudged joint-best in the world by Airports Council International in the 'Over 40 million passengers annually' category for year 2017. This category is the largest in terms of passenger traffic and includes the world's most awarded airports like Changi (Singapore), Incheon and Bangkok airports.

While the IGI took the top spot after being ranked second in the 2016 list in the same category, the airport had been ranked number one in 2015 in a smaller - 25-40 million annual passengers' category in 2015. IGI though crossed the 60-million passenger mark last year with a total traffic of 63.5 million. It is now the sixth busiest airport in Asia and has also made it to the top-20 list of world's busiest airports which has Dubai at the top.

We're pleased to announce that #DelhiAirport has been adjudged as the world’s no. #1 airport by @ACIworld in the Highest Category of above 40M passengers. Congrats to the entire team and thanks to all our passengers who have made this feat possible for us! #WorldNumber1Again pic.twitter.com/po2moRkr5A — Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) March 6, 2018

Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport though has made it to the top spot for the first time. It was also awarded for customer excellence. While it is managed by GVK-run Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), the IGI is operated by a GMR-led consortium DIAL. Both thanked passengers and ACI for recognising their efforts to make flying memorable.

We are truly honoured to be World's No 1 Airport. We thank all our stakeholders for making this possible. #MumbaiAirportWorldNo1 pic.twitter.com/CpBdZa5au8 — CSIA (@CSIAMumbai) March 7, 2018

ACI is a trade association with 1,953 member airports. It conducts annual surveys on service quality provided by airports around the world and adjudges them on the basis of 34 parameters.