Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) has been recognised with three distinctions from Airports Council International (ACI) World, reflecting performance across passenger experience, accessibility, and service standards, according to a report published on September 5, 2026. The recognitions include the ACI Airport Customer Experience Accreditation Level 5, ACI Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation Level 2, and inclusion among the Best Airports at Arrivals Globally through the ACI ASQ Customer Experience Award 2025.
Three recognitions spanning experience, accessibility, and service
The report states that RGIA received three recognitions from ACI World that together acknowledge work across the passenger journey and operational standards. One of these is the ACI Airport Customer Experience Accreditation Level 5, described as the highest level in ACI World’s customer experience framework. The airport also achieved ACI Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation Level 2, reflecting efforts to ensure an inclusive and seamless travel experience for passengers with reduced mobility and other accessibility needs. In addition, the airport was named among the Best Airports at Arrivals Globally, an honour conferred through the ACI ASQ Customer Experience Award 2025 based on passenger feedback collected under ACI’s Airport Service Quality (ASQ) programme. [source: The Hindu - Telangana]
ACI Airport Customer Experience Accreditation Level 5
ACI’s Airport Customer Experience Accreditation Level 5 is identified as the programme’s highest tier. As described in the report, this accreditation recognises airports that have integrated customer experience into their strategy, organisational culture, operations, innovation, and engagement with stakeholders. The designation indicates that, within ACI’s framework, the airport’s approach to customer experience aligns with this advanced, integrated standard. The article underscores that Level 5 represents the top echelon within the accreditation scheme cited by ACI World. [source: The Hindu - Telangana]
Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation Level 2
RGIA’s ACI Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation Level 2 highlights initiatives to provide an inclusive and seamless travel experience for passengers with reduced mobility and other accessibility needs. The report characterises this accreditation as a recognition of the airport’s efforts in accessibility, signalling that the programme’s criteria acknowledge measures affecting the travel experience for people needing additional support. While the specific interventions are not detailed in the report, the award level itself is explicitly noted as Level 2 in ACI’s accessibility scheme. [source: The Hindu - Telangana]
Among the Best Airports at Arrivals Globally (ASQ 2025)
The airport’s inclusion among the Best Airports at Arrivals Globally comes via the ACI ASQ Customer Experience Award 2025. The article explains that this recognition is determined using passenger feedback collected through ACI’s Airport Service Quality programme and acknowledges the airport’s performance in delivering a smooth and welcoming arrivals experience. The report does not provide a ranking or the list of peer airports, but it emphasises that the arrivals-focused distinction is grounded in the experiences reported by passengers through the ASQ mechanism. [source: The Hindu - Telangana]
What the recognitions collectively indicate
Collectively, the three acknowledgements cited in the report span the airport’s approach to customer experience, its attention to accessibility, and its performance at the arrivals stage. The described Level 5 customer experience accreditation focuses on the integration of experience principles into strategy, culture, operations, innovation, and stakeholder engagement. The Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation Level 2 specifically calls out inclusivity for passengers with reduced mobility and other accessibility needs. The ASQ arrivals recognition is tied to passenger feedback and highlights the arrivals experience as smooth and welcoming. Each element, as presented in the report, points to criteria and outcomes identified within ACI World’s programmes and frameworks. [source: The Hindu - Telangana]
Publication context
The report detailing these recognitions was published on September 05, 2026, at 06:55 pm IST. It attributes all three distinctions to ACI World and its associated accreditation and awards programmes, namely the Airport Customer Experience Accreditation, Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation, and the ASQ Customer Experience Award 2025. No additional dates for the conferment of the recognitions or comparative rankings are included in the text. [source: The Hindu - Telangana]