Aviation Requires 360 Degrees Of Vision

WITH THREE NEW INTERNATIONAL AWARDS, SVPI AIRPORT IS FLYING HIGH ON ITS TEAM’S SUCCESS, THANKS TO AIRPORT DIRECTOR MANOJ GANGAL AND THE GUIDANCE FROM TOP MANAGEMENT OF AIRPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA.

- Stephen Crowe

In India’s western state of Gujarat, the city of Ahmedabad hosts a population of over seven million. The major airport for the region is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport, which was first established in 1937, although it took until 1991 for the airport to receive its first international flights. It was eventually categorized as an international airport in 2000, with a new terminal built-in 2010 to cater to the growing number of international travelers.

At the helm of this bustling aviation, the center is Airport Director Manoj Gangal, who stepped into the role two and a half years ago. He brought with him vast experience in Indian aviation after commencing his career in 1986, and that history has put him in good stead at SVPI Airport, where he has made significant changes to modernize its functions.

“I have been working in the Indian aviation industry for 33 years,” recalls Manoj. “I am an International Airport Professional (IAP), and by that, I mean there is a course through Airports Council International (ACI). Globally, there are about 2,000 IAP graduates who interact with one another. Airport managers in London or New York or Singapore manage airports in the same manner, with the same principles that we developed together. It’s a single community,” he says.

Soon after he arrived at SVPI Airport, Manoj undertook a major revitalization of the airport’s operating procedures and drove a new vision for staff– to focus on the experiences of passengers while they’re at the airport.

“It was going back to basics,” says Manoj. “The staff were a bit surprised because they never expected an airport director to talk in this manner. I said, first, look at the washroom, look at its cleanliness, look at how much time passengers are spending in queues. Go back to basics, and then we will talk about something else.