PASSENGER SATISFACTION

OF
RAJIV GANDHI INTERNATIONAL
GMR AIRPORT
HYDERABAD
A MINI PROJECT REPORT

Submitted by
S.Purnima
09GSB030

Gnanam School of Business

Mary’s Nagar, Trichy-Thanjavur Expressway,
Sengipatti-613402, Thanjavur – Dist. Tamilnadu
 BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE
Certified that this mini-project report “PASSENGER SATISFACTION ON RAGIV GANDHI
INTERNATIONAL GMR AIRPORT HYDERABAD” is the bonafide work of “S.PURNIMA” who
carried out the mini-project work under my supervision.

SIGNATURE SIGNATURE

Dr. s. Ramanathan Ms. Sriji. E.S

Director Lecturer

Gnanam School of Business Gnanam School of Business

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all, I would like to thank the Almighty for providing me with strength to
complete this project.

I feel deeply feel indebted to my Director, MR. S. RAMANTHAN , who was the
strength and encouragement behind every student and Ms.E.S Sriji faculty
coordinator for providing support and guidance all the time . I also, take this
opportunity to thank MS. M.SRUTHI, Terminal operations executive GMR
Airport Hyderabad for providing me an opportunity to take this project work and
under whose guidance whole of the project has been completed.

My sincere thanks to CEO S.P.S.Arul Doss for guiding me in completing my

project and also to my friends, for supporting at every juncture which helped me
to complete this project work in time .

S.PURNIMA
 CHAPTE
R NO TITLE
1. OBJECTIVE OF STUDY

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

3. INTRODUCTION
AIRPORT INDUSTRY
4. OVERVIEW
GMR INTERNATIONAL
5. AIRPORT
REASONS
SALIENT FEATURES

6. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

7. QUESTIONNAIRE

8. REFERENCE

OBJECTIVE:
The purpose of this study was to implement and test an objective approach to
measure passenger satisfaction of airport service quality.

LITERATURE REVIEW:
Aviation trade publications and airport press releases provide evidence that
managers in the airport industry clearly understand the importance of their
customers’ perceptions of service quality (Aeroporti di Roma S.p.A., 2004;
Bomenblit, 2002; Gooding, 1999). Academic and industry researchers regularly
measure passenger perceptions of airport services quality to benchmark
performance metrics directly from the “voice” of the customer (Chen, 2002), to
identify opportunities for service improvement (Yeh and Kuo, 2002) and to avoid
losing valuable passenger traffic (Rhoades et al., 2000). In addition, airport
marketers research passenger needs and wants for the purposes of enhancing non-
aviation related revenues from restaurant and retail offerings (Danyliew and
Cohen, 1997; Harrison, 1996). The nature of the expectations underlying airport
service quality perceptions is unclear. Unlike the more widely accepted gap-theory
model for measuring service quality (i.e., subtracting a customer’s perceived level
of service received from what was expected), both academic and commercial
airport researchers are more likely to measure service quality by establishing and
monitoring service performance measures which may or may not be informed by
direct customer input (Yeh and Kuo, 2002). Often, these measures are internal
(e.g., number of complaints, wait / service time for baggage delivery or check-in).
Internal measures of service performance are useful for benchmarking processes,
but at the same time suspect because these measures are typically derived from
managers rather than from passengers, thus lacking a true customer perspective.
Even when service performance measures are external – intended to measure the
attitudes and opinions of customers directly – the lack of a systematic
understanding of airport customers’ expectations makes it likely that what is
measured will be those attributes that are the most obvious and easy to
operationalize. The net result can be a misguided effort to improve service quality
in ways that are unimportant to customers, thus failing to offer the value that
drives customer choice among alternatives.

Introduction
The airport industry is changing rapidly. Today’s air travelers have meaningful
choices among airports and there is an increasing urgency among airport marketers
to differentiate themselves by meeting the needs of customers better than the
competition. While passengers’ perception of airport service quality is only one of
several variables (e.g., routes, scheduling, location and prices) that contribute to
overall airport attractiveness, it is nevertheless an important variable because of the
increasing importance of a customer orientation to competitive advantage in this
industry.

Aviation trade publications and airport press releases provide evidence that
managers in the airport industry clearly understand the importance of their
customers’ perceptions of service quality, but the nature of the expectations
underlying airport service quality perceptions is unclear. Internal measures of
service performance are useful for benchmarking processes, but at the same time
suspect because these measures are typically derived from managers rather than
from passengers, thus lacking a true customer perspective. Even when service
performance measures are external – intended to measure the attitudes and
opinions of customers directly – the lack of a systematic understanding of airport
customers’ expectations makes it likely that what is measured will be those
attributes that are the most obvious and easy to operationalize. The net result can
be a misguided effort to improve service quality in ways that are unimportant to
customers, thus failing to offer the value that drives customer choice among
alternatives.

Airport industry overview

Airports have been a consistent growth segment in the travel and transportation
industry. Over the last several decades, the global aviation industry has sustained
annual growth rates of five to six percent. More than 5.2 billion passengers passed
through the world’s airports in 2009.

Airport customers are remarkably varied and include passengers, airlines,

employees, concessionaires, tenants and others. This study focuses on passengers
(air travelers) – the end users of airport facilities and services. Passenger behavior
and expectations of the airport experience depend on the type of traveler, purpose
of trip and his or her circumstances. Despite their differences, however, all these
customers are at the airport for the sole purpose of transferring from ground-based
to air modes of transportation. The airport is not a destination for
air travelers. It is a transition point.

At the airport, passengers encounter a bundle of tangible and intangible services in

a physical setting that might characterize as an “elaborate servicescape,” similar to
a hospital, with many corridors, queues, signs and complex interactions. It is
common for passengers to spend an extended period of time in the airport
servicescape, averaging over one hour once they have entered the terminal

Introduction to GMR Hyderabad

International Airport Ltd (GHIAL)
GHIAL was the first of the Greenfield airport under PPP in 2001 pioneering
the Government‘s Airport Infrastructure Up gradation drive. At that point of
time all the major airports were experiencing major capacity constraints. The
infrastructure available was not equipped to cater to growing air travel
market. The Government of India had to invest in the up-gradation of
airports infrastructure for which no fiscal support was provisioned. Based on
this premise, the Government opened the airport industry for private
investment. It is thus important, for the Authority to consider the policy of
the Government for Development of Airport Infrastructure and also to keep in
mind the approach to privatization of airports. Globally none of the fully
privatized airports are on single till barring BAA which was privatized in 1986.
The Concession agreement formed the basis of international bidding process.
The terms under which the airports would be regulated were a central
component of both bidding and investment decisions.

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, is an international airport near Shamshabad,

about 22 km (14 mi) from the city of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
It is a hub for Jet Lite, SpiceJet and IndiGo. It also serves as a focus city for Air
India, Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines. Hyderabad international airport has
been named amongst the world's top five in the annual Airport Service Quality
(ASQ) passenger survey along with the ones at Seoul, Singapore, Hong Kong and
Beijing.

Reasons for GMR choosing this project

 o Hyderabad is ranked as the No. 1 Indian Information Technology
Enabled Services destination by NASSCOM, the premier trade body
for IT services in India.
o Andhra Pradesh (AP) accounts for about 23% of software
professionals in India. Nearly 23% of the software professionals in the
United States of America are from AP.
o Andhra Pradesh is one of the biggest all-India markets for North
American traffic. 10% all-India traffic to North America is
contributed by Hyderabad.

Andhra Pradesh is known as a tourist destination, with a

focus on:
o Temple tourism
o Buddhist tourism
o Medical Tourism

AP ranks 7th when it comes to foreign tourist visits in India and is the top
domestic tourist destination in India with a dominating market share of
24.3%.

Located strategically at the geographical centre of India within a two

hour flying time to all the major cities in India, Hyderabad is well
positioned and within a four hour radius from all major cities in the
Middle East and South East Asia. Thus, it has the potential to not only
become one of the main air travel hubs in India, but also an important
center for destination-cum-transit location for travel between the East and
the West. Currently, there are 11 international and 9 domestic airlines
operating from Hyderabad flying to over 35 destinations.

SALENT FEATURES
 Handling 12 million passengers per year.
 check -inn counters -- 146
 75 m India Tallest Air Traffic Control Tower ( ATC)
 Enhanced Security Features 4 - Level Baggage Screening
 12 Aero – Bridges
 Duty - Free , Plaza Premium Lounge, Nap & Shower Facility
 24 Hrs Medical & Pharma Services
 Wi- Fi Connectivity
 Crash Fire & Rescue Station
 Unique Airport Village with shopping Arcade
 10 Exit Taxiways
 Food & Beverage Outlet
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
I employed the following method to carry out my research.

Development of instruments for gathering the information-Questionnaire

Identification of target population and determination of sampling plan

Determination of the sample size –I have targeted 100 people for the purpose of
research

Data collection-It took place with the help of filling questionnaires.

Design of procedure for information collection.

Data Collection:
The method I used for research was to obtain data. They are classified into
Primary data-Information gathered by questionnaire.
Secondary data-Data obtained from books and websites.

Data Analysis:
The responses of the respondents are counted and reproduced in the form of
pie charts.

Limitations of the Study:

The scope of study is limited to the respondents who are selected only from
Hyderabad.
The sample size was only 100 respondents.
The project is carried out for a period of 5 days only.
FINDINGS
1. Satisfaction of the direction signage at the airport

satisfaction
no
18%

yes
82%

Airport signage can be used to direct traffic or guide travelers through airport
facilities. These directional signs will put the visitors at ease as they travel through
the airport. GHIA is Providing clean, clear, and highly visible signage for airport
visitors from various destinations.
2. PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE AIRPORT

Physcial envirnoment
excellent good satisfactory poor
20%

45%

35%

In balance with the social and physical environment GHIAL, Airport exists to play
an enduring role in meeting the growing demand for air travel. Society, on the
other hand, attaches greater and greater weight to a green environment and cleaner
air.
3. CROWD HANDLING AT THE AIRPORT:

CROWD HANDLING
excellent good satisfied 4th Qtr

5%
14%

45%

36%

To better manage the increasing number of passengers at the terminals, the Airport
Authority, Police, airport security staff, airlines and ground handling agents work
together to prepare designated areas for passengers of different airlines to queue up
for check-in. Additional staff and signage are arranged to facilitate passenger flow
and maintain terminal order.
4. SPATIAL LAYOUT AND FUNCTIONALITY OF THE AIRPORT

FUNCTIONALITY
excellent good satisfied poor

8%

22% 38%

32%

Terminal’s interior architecture adopts an intuitive spatial layout, promoting ease

of orientation and the optimization of natural light. The design implements the
concept of ‘total journey experience’, an approach that focuses on the needs and
experiences of the passenger at every stage of their travel process, from drop-off to
departure, arrival to pick-up. This strategy supports a feeling of human scale and
integrates functional planning with passenger facilities.

The design philosophy for the terminal is to create a memorable airport experience
which captures the Singaporean sense of place and reinforces its user friendliness
and amenity.
5. AMBIENCE OF AIRPORT

AMBIENCE
excellent good satisfied poor
1%
7%

30%

62%

The Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi International Airport has tied up with Plaza Premium

Lounge of Hong Kong for maintaining and managing Lounges in the airport.
The spacious lounges are located at both Domestic and International areas on the
airside and at the Arrivals on the landside. The design concept is contemporary,
stylish and serene. The space is efficiently utilized to create a sense of calm and
simplicity which is extremely soothing to the mind and body in alleviating
weariness and stress after a long flight.
6. THE AIRLINE SERVICE PROVIDERS AT AIRPORT

AIRLINE SERVICES
EXCELLENT GOOD SATISFIED POOR
10%
6%

50%

34%

Emirates Air India

Lufthansa Indian Airlines
Saudi Airlines Jet Airways
KLM Air Sahara
SriLankan Airways Kingfisher Airlines
Qatar Airways SpiceJet
Malaysian Airlines GoAir
Oman Airlines Deccan Airways
Singapore Airlines  
7. SERVICES OFFERED BY THE AIRPORT

SERVICES
EXCELLENT GOOD SATISFIED POOR

10%

16%
39%

35%

Business centre : A business centre with conveniences like conference facilities,

meeting facilities, high speed photocopying, faxing, printing services, email and
broadband internet access are provided for the comfort of the business traveller.

Self Service Buffet Counters and Drinks Bar : A sumptuous array of food,
juices and a bar is available. The area overlooks the airport runway and users get to
enjoy the view of planes taking off and landing.

Guest Services : To assist children and elderly passengers to relax. Medical

facilities like first aid are also provided.

Shower Facilities & Napping Areas : Modern shower rooms with attached dress
areas and private napping suites for passengers who need to catch up with some
rest.
8. CONNECTIVITY OF THE AIRPORT

CONNECTIVITY
EXCELLENT GOOD SATISFIED POOR

3%

18%

42%

37%

An eight lane access controlled outer ring road, which is coming up in concentric
circles around the city, will eventually lower the time taken for those travelling
from the knowledge hub area — this includes the University of Hyderabad, BHEL,
CS Rao’s IRDA and Indian School of Business — from 45-50 minutes today to
20-25 minutes to the airport. The opening of the first stretch which was due for this
March has also been delayed to around September-October.
 
Eventually, airport authorities speak of a mono rail transport system (MRTS), a
dedicated airport train from the city to the airport and a metro link — but when you
do the drive today, it sounds like a bit of a pipe dream.
CONCLUSIONS

An airport creates the traveller’s first and last impression of a city or country, and
it is a known fact that a pleasant airport experience encourages spending and
influences future travel plans. With a large portion of revenues coming from non-
aeronautical sources, customer satisfaction also makes good business sense.
At the same time, airlines are also airport “customers”. As the airlines modify,
expand and improve their services, they want to be sure that airports deliver
services that are of consistent quality to match the airline offering.

The GMR Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) has been rated in the top five
best airports among the 5-15 million passengers capacity airport in the world by
the Airports Council International (ACI) in its Airport Service Quality (ASQ)
survey.

RGIA is also the first airport in Asia and second in the world to be awarded LEED
(Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design ) Silver Rating for its eco-friendly
design.

This makes RGIA to be the passengers preferred choice for their arrival and
departure giving them the necessary satisfaction.
 QUESTIONNAIRE

1. NAME:
2. AGE:
3. CONTACT NO:
4. LOCATION:
5. OCCUPATION

6. ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE DIRECTION SIGNAGE AT THE AIRPORT?

YES NO
7. WHAT DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE
AIRPORT?
EXCELLENT GOOD SATISFACTORY POOR

8. RATE THE CROWD HANDLING AT THE AIRPORT IN A SCALE OF 1-5?

9. WHAT DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE SPATIAL LAYOUT AND FUNCTIONALITY

OF THE AIRPORT?
EXCELLENT GOOD SATISFACTORY POOR

10. RATE THE AMBIENCE OF AIRPORT IN A SCALE OF 1-5?

11. WHAT DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE AIRLINE SERVICE PROVIDERS AT

AIRPORT?
EXCELLENT GOOD SATISFACTORY POOR

12. RATE THE SERVICES OFFERED BY THE AIRPORT IN A SCALE OF 1-5?

13. WHAT DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE CONNECCTIVITY OF THE AIRPORT?

EXCELLENT GOOD SATISFACTORY POOR

14. RATE THE AIRPORT IN A SCALE OF 1-5?

15. ANY COMPLAINTS OR SUGGESTIONS____________________________________

Scaling : 1 – excellent, 2- good, 3 satisfactory ,4- poor, 5 – no comments

Bibliography:
http://www.hyderabad.aero.com

www.icao.int

Air transport management by Ravichandran

www.iata.org

Managing Airports by Anne Graham