Chennai airport pushed to the sixth spot in passenger traffic

Miles to go: This photo taken in March this
year shows Phase II modernisation work in progress at the Chennai airport. Passengers demand more flights and better maintenance of the airport, besides
more facilities.
| Photo Credit: M. SRINATH

Tedious task: Domestic passengers have to take a buggy or walk to the multi-level
car park to get a cab. They are unhappy with this arrangement.
| Photo Credit:
B. VELANKANNI RAJ

In March, while the Hyderabad airport recorded a commendable rise of 17.3% in passenger traffic, Bengaluru reported 12.7%. But the number of passengers that the Chennai airport handled that month was far less; it recorded a mere 7.2% increase. This has pushed the airport to the sixth position in the passenger traffic, behind Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. While the domestic passenger traffic increased 10.4%, the international passenger traffic dipped 1.7%.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) invested ₹2,467 crore in the modernisation of the Chennai airport. The construction of a new international terminal is under way.

But air passengers and travel industry experts say that connectivity, massive infrastructure upgrade, and better maintenance are the key for the Chennai airport to regain the lost position.

Setting a benchmark

S. Jeyasekaran of Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) says the Bengaluru and Hyderabad airports have set a benchmark, with terrific infrastructure and terminals. This is attracting more airlines and new routes, both domestic and international. Sometimes, if New Delhi or Bengaluru has direct connectivity to an international destination, the passenger flies from Chennai to either of the cities and takes the connecting flight. This results in either of these airports getting traffic from the Chennai airport. For instance, to fly from Chennai to San Francisco, one could go to Bengaluru or Mumbai and take a connecting flight. Passengers also have other transit options like Doha or Dubai. Similarly, Bengaluru has a direct flight to Bali and Sydney, but Chennai has none.

“When Mumbai or Bengaluru can have a direct flight to the U.S. or Bali, why can’t Chennai? Private operators are able to add better facilities that airlines and passengers need rather quickly. We are not able to match them,” he says.

Passengers pitch for privatisation

Air passengers say privatisation could certainly help the Chennai airport and resolve some of the problems. For instance, the options to eat and shop is phenomenal at a private airport like the one in Mumbai, says Vidyasagar Jagadeesan, a frequent flyer.

“You feel like you are spending time in a mall. Especially during long-haul flights, when people have ample time, they would like to go around, eat at a nice place, and do some window-shopping. At Chennai, these options are limited,” he points out.

Passengers have flagged a few other issues, too, on social media. One of the main problems for domestic passengers is the difficulty in getting a cab. Passengers have to take a buggy or walk to the multi-level car park. This arrangement has put them to inconvenience.

Sorav Jain, one of the passengers, posted: “What a pain chennai airport has become! Catching a cab is a nightmare. poor management of lifts and no one just cares. @AAI_Official @aaichnairport-how long should one wait for the lift?”

WiFi puts them off

Meanwhile, international passengers are unable to use free WiFi in the absence of a local SIM card and it has been putting them off. An international passenger took to social media. Baranitharan posted, “Sad to see Chennai International Airport not having free WiFi in the International Departure Gates. #AAI didn’t have enough fund to provide free WiFi for International Passengers? I’ve used free WiFi in #Berlin and #Doha international airports today #Chennai @aaichnairport.”

AAI officials say that with the limited land available, they have been striving to upgrade the infrastructure. They have been taking steps to resolve the WiFi issue and passengers will be able to access it without hassle very soon. Officials are also considering a second pick-up point for passengers to board a cab and several buggies have been made available for passengers.

Pitch for new flights

The officials note that they also want more airlines to start new flights to more destinations from the Chennai airport. “But the decision rests with the Ministry of Civil Aviation. It takes the call on which city gets a new flight to a particular destination. We recently made a pitch to a few airlines for operating flights to Australia and Japan, among other destinations,” an official says.