Vadodara soars, Surat slips in AAI airport satisfaction rankings

Surat | Gujarat — Surat, one of Gujarat’s fastest-growing commercial hubs, is falling behind its regional peers when it comes to airport passenger satisfaction. In the latest customer satisfaction and performance survey released by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Surat Airport secured the eighth position among the country’s top 34 airports, while Vadodara Airport surged ahead to claim the second spot nationwide.

The rankings, announced for 2025, underline a widening gap in service quality and passenger experience between Gujarat’s key airports. Alongside Vadodara, Jamnagar Airport ranked an impressive fourth, while Rajkot International Airport at Hirasar placed 18th, marking a significant improvement compared to its earlier performance.

AAI conducts this survey twice a year based on direct passenger feedback, evaluating airports on 33 different parameters, including cleanliness, security, check-in efficiency, availability of facilities, and staff behaviour. In the latest assessment, Khajuraho and Bhopal airports jointly topped the national rankings.

Despite Surat’s strong eighth-place finish, aviation experts note that the airport continues to lag behind Vadodara in critical passenger-centric facilities and service efficiency. “Surat has traffic potential and strong business demand, but passenger satisfaction depends heavily on seamless services and infrastructure upgrades,” said a senior aviation consultant based in Ahmedabad.

Rajkot’s Hirasar Airport, meanwhile, emerged as a notable case of recovery. After slipping to 31st place in the January–June 2025 survey due to poor facilities, it climbed sharply to 18th place in the July–December 2025 rankings. However, the airport failed to score any points in several key categories, including bank and ATM facilities, shopping outlets, passport and ID inspection, and business or executive lounges. The absence of international flights further impacted its overall score.

Airport Director Digant Borah acknowledged both the progress and the challenges. “There has been a visible improvement in customer service at Hirasar Airport. Our customer satisfaction index has increased from 4.30 to 4.75 within six months. While gaps remain in certain facilities, we are committed to enhancing passenger experience in a phased manner,” he said.

With four Gujarat airports featuring in the national top-34 list, the state continues to maintain a strong aviation footprint.