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The Sharjah Airport Authority announced Tuesday that its flagship facility had reached Level 3 under the Airports Council International Customer Experience Accreditation Programme. This step recognises the airport’s capacity to convert passenger insights into concrete operational changes while strengthening alignment with airlines and other partners. Ali Salim Al Midfa, chairman of the authority, outlined how the process had reinforced a structured approach to service delivery across the terminal environment.
Al Midfa said the latest accreditation demonstrated the airport’s ability to analyse passenger feedback and translate it into tangible improvements in collaboration with its partners. The evaluation focused on feedback collection methods, coordination with service providers and full-journey oversight, according to authority documentation. Such criteria form part of a broader framework that has guided incremental advances at the airport since its initial entry into the programme.
Sharjah International Airport first secured Level 1 recognition in 2022 before advancing to Level 2 the following year and renewing that status in 2025, the authority reported. Each stage has required documented evidence of maturity across eight assessment domains that range from customer understanding to innovation and governance. The authority has maintained regular passenger surveys and cross-stakeholder workshops to support compliance at every tier.
ACI World describes Level 3 as the stage at which an airport implements an advanced customer experience strategy through multifaceted engagement with customers, employees and customer experience professionals. The global body positions its accreditation as the industry’s sole programme offering a 360-degree view of experience management, incorporating training, stakeholder involvement and performance benchmarking. ACI World data indicates that participating airports gain access to specialised tools that help identify new practices and develop targeted action plans.
The achievement was presented to the Sharjah Executive Council, which reviewed the airport’s rapid movement through the accreditation levels from initial understanding to full development status. Council members noted supporting initiatives that included enhanced staff development programmes and service design refinements aimed at sustaining the gains. Authority records show these efforts have contributed to measurable refinements in key touchpoints along the passenger journey.
Sharjah Airport Authority figures from earlier reporting periods place the facility among those that rebounded swiftly after the COVID-19 downturn, with passenger volumes exceeding 13 million in 2022. The latest accreditation is expected to bolster the airport’s position as a regional hub by reinforcing service reliability and operational efficiency. Officials continue to integrate the programme’s standards into daily management processes to maintain the newly awarded status.
