The Delhi Airport works around the year to facilitate a smooth and hassle-free travel experience for arriving and departing air passengers. With the declining number of COVID-19 cases in 2022, the facility was back to operating at its earlier capacity after almost two years of restricted travel. To ensure efficient traffic handling and a smooth flyer experience, DIAL took several new measures this calendar year. Besides, 2022 also had some surprises in store for the Delhi Airport.
So, with the year coming to an end, here is a look back at some key moments of DIAL. Let’s have a look!
For 2021, DIAL was given the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) award by the Airports Council International (ACI). It is a people’s choice award which measures passengers’ satisfaction across 34 performance indicators of service quality. This was the fourth consecutive year that Delhi Airport gained this recognition.
The Delhi Airport constructed two underground water reservoirs to support rainwater harvesting. While one of them is situated near terminal 1, another is located nearby terminal 2. They can store approx. 9 million litres of rainwater to contribute towards water sustenance at the airport.
The Skytrax World Airport Awards recognised the GMR infra-led facility as the best airport in India and South Asia. DIAL bagged the title for the fourth time in a row. Moreover, the airport improved its overall ranking on Skytrax’s list of the world’s top 50 airports and was the only Indian airport to feature on this listicle. DIAL’s efforts to maintain the airport premises were also acclaimed, as the facility bagged the award for the cleanest airport in India and South Asia region.
In India, the Delhi Airport became the first facility to operate solely on hydro and solar power. This measure took it one step closer towards realising its goal of becoming a Net Zero Carbon Emission Airport by 2030. DIAL is working relentlessly towards attaining environmental sustainability and ending reliance on non-renewable energy.
The airport installed full-body scanners to accurately detect any breaches in security. It is another initiative to ensure the safety of air travellers. The device will scan flyers without making physical contact or compromising their privacy. It can detect non-metal objects and is installed at the terminal 2 security check area.
After launching the beta version of DigiYatra in August, the Delhi Airport fully rolled out the facial-recognition-based service this year. The initiative aims to automate the entry and verification process to make the airport experience smooth and hassle-free for flyers.
This year, Delhi Airport became the first 5G-enabled facility in India. The air passengers carrying 5G-enabled smartphones and sim cards are now promised seamless connectivity, better signal strength, and faster data speed. While these services can be availed of at the Domestic Departure pier and International Arrival Baggage area at Terminal 3 and between T3 Arrivals and Multi-Level Car Parking (MLCP) presently, steps are being taken to also make them available across terminal 3.
As part of the unique Green Transportation Program, Delhi Airport deployed 57 Electric Vehicles (EVs) at the facility. They helped reduce the emission of approx. 1000 tonnes of greenhouse gas. It was the largest EV program introduced by any Indian airport.
In November, Delhi Airport welcomed its youngest-ever passenger when a woman hailing from Karnataka’s Hubbali gave birth to a healthy baby boy at the Medanta facility at T3. The female passenger was assisted through childbirth by a team of well-trained doctors and paramedics when she suddenly experienced labour pain.
To allow passengers to better manage their time, the Delhi Airport launched the live queue status tracker. The AI-enabled tech can be used by flyers at T3 to check the on-ground traffic situation. It can help passengers check the waiting time of the queues at various entry gates and plan the airport journey accordingly.