Though not a frequent air flyer, i find what Govind says is right! Recently, I had been to the Bangalore Domestic terminal. The facilities there, leave alone semi international standards---they were simply competing with the railway station. The walls were poorly maintained and what was being announced on the Public address system about the departures and arrivals made even a donkey's bray sound like music. Simply Poor acoustics.
It is just not enough to justify that the airports of KL, Singapore etc are Govt owned. I would not agree to compare the efficiency of a government like Singapore and KL with that of our criminal netas and illiterate MPs. I have to also talk of reservation here, which is ruining our country. BOSS!!! will we ever have a reservation for intellectuals to administer the govt? Only time will tell........
There is nothing untrue what the author has said. In many poorer countries that I have visited , all these services and the airports are far better . I must have dialed atleast 100 times to the airport phone number to know whether my intl flight from BLR is on time but have never even once succeded ! BANGALORE airport is small due to which it may not offer much comfort but what about services ! Mumbai is equally terrible in services. I really wonder what the foreign traveller to India must be experiencing in such airports and carrying with him / her the image of India. There will be, like me, thousands of others who will agree with the author and support him in his fight for getting better serevices .... or just the service (as the author says)in whatever way he needs.
BTW, once at MADRAS airport , upon my return from oversea , while I was going thru security check for onward BLR flight , the police saw a cigarette pack in my pocket and asked for one stick , which I gave very gladly !
I can add to the list of things Mumbai airport should do to help passengers. The first priority is to have a website with the telephone numbers of all airlines operating from there and a complete, schedule of all arrivals and departures which is constantly updated.
I also see that the parking charges have been hiked to Rs 50/-? Why this hike when no additional facilities have been offered and inflation is not running at 50% in India. This just goes straight to the parking lot operators pocket.
Finally there should be a small underground rail or overground monorail connecting the two terminals. This should be a free service available to bonafide passengers only. In the interim, they can build a fenced off corridor and allow airline buses to travel along the airport side.
I fully agree with the views expressed by Mr. Govindraj.. I have been working in the oil-field over the last 10 years and have been travelling up and down every month for my job. I have travelled to various countries, seen a number of international airports, but when it is the turn of Mumbai, I feel ashamed that it is an international airport of the commercial capital of India... the way it is maintained, the approach of the AAI authorities (I have also come across instances where I have been asked for "clearing" baggage, as mentioned in the views of Mr. Govindraj) and "the railway-station look" of the airport the moment we step out. The cops standing out asking for money, plenty of beggars, dogs and drunkards roaming around... does this present a good picture of our airports? I agree that privatisation is very important to improve the look of our airports. A well-maintained and good airport in India is the Nedumbasseri Airport in Kochi... hope other airports pick up lessons from Kochi airport...
My experiences in Mumbai Airport. I was travelling to the country Colombia on an express tour and was at the emigrtionand the officer's comment"U havent taken yellow fever vaccination,u cant travel today"he noted my next stopover is London," Put 100Pnds inside ur passport and give me ,then you can go...u dont have to stand in queue again come to me direct"I was under pressure to travel from the company as that was a big deal for my company to make me reach next day. I did as instructed but with a $50 bill. he sealed the passport in a whisker. I thought everything is over.Boarding announced, me in queue.. there comes 2 customs officers " We saw you paying our colleague, so our officer wants to meet u and take action against the officer and u cannot travel today" i thought enough is enough..i said ok i will not travel u do what u want. they guided me to a coridor and says"Its ok u pay us too the same and go"i was literally standing with my mouth open.. did a bargain for Rs 500 and they alowed me to travel.Another incident London-Mumbai BA flight,lands in Mubai at 2 AM.cleared all hurdles walking out a loader comes "Pay $100 as the customs officer told me to inform u"
When u comeout of Chennai airport I could see people surrounding and asking for dollar exchange or pulling bagges by Auto or Taxi drivers. There are lot of unwanted people waiting outside the airport and it is very difficult to get out of then. Feel very insecure and want foreigner's will think of our country. The worst part is people wearing some ID cards asking for money as they cleared the bagges. Please help to bring to the notice of airport to avoid such poeple in side airport
