No aerobridges, PCO, bus stop...

No aerobridges, PCO, bus stop...
There are many bouquets for the Bangalore International Airport from the passengers. At the same time there are many who have pointed out the problems they faced while using the new airport. While some are happy with the newly laid connecting road, many have suggested that signage to guide the users are missing. Public telephone booths are missing and buses have to stick on its schedule, the users have suggested...


The drive to BIA from Sahakarinagar at 4:15 AM took only 23 minutes. The drive was good though it was a bit lonely and dark in some sections. The roads have been constructed very well though at many places the local side roads may not be used for some time in future as there is no habitation or buildings at present. If that space had been taken to create a third lane for mainline traffic it would have helped in better flow of vehicles to the airport. The lights closer to Devanahalli looked pretty at night.

The signage could have been larger and more frequent as some cars were stopping on the side to make sure they were on the right track enroute to the new airport. Signage could also include Domestic Airport to avoid confusion amongst newcomers to the city and first-timers to the BIA. At present the signage is for International Airport only but global practice suggests that Domestic Airport needs to be mentioned on sign posts as well.

There was confusion at the entrance of the BIA as traffic management personnel were not sure which vehicle goes in which lane. Though my driver said that he was to drop me off and needs no parking he was told clearly and forced to go towards the boom gate for parking!

The airport looked stunningly beautiful from outside and made me feel proud. Once inside I found the décor and ambience of the highest order. The air-conditioning was just perfect. I was looking for the Deccan Airways dedicated counter for tele-checked-in and no-baggage handbags-only passengers but found none. So I had to wait 43rd in the shorter queue for baggage check-in. It took 25 minutes of waiting in this queue to get my boarding card although I had no hand baggage and had tele checked in and got my seat no as well the previous day!

When I went near my boarding Gate 8 following the signs to the toilet, I found the Gents and Ladies toilets closed. Well, BIAL needs to block the signs leading thousands of passengers to the 2 closed toilets.

Boarding was quick and easy. But no aerobridges, Mr Brunner, for domestic carriers – in a modern era in a brand new airport trying to set global standards? We were taken to the aircraft by a beautiful air-conditioned and very comfortable bus instead. The flight was ready to go but Capt Simran announced that the aircraft door can’t be closed yet because BIAL is still fuelling the aircraft and so there will be a delay due to no fault of the airlines. So indeed the flight was delayed.

I returned to Bangalore the same day in the afternoon. The flight arrived without any undue wait over Bangalore airport. After coming out of the airport in the arrival area it was quite confusing to locate where cars are parked. The signs should be clear and larger and at more places. Who parks in P1, who in P2 and who in P3? After a lot of walking up and down I figured out that metered taxis were in one parking lot and private taxis in another. The beautiful Volvo buses looked very impressive but few knew where they were going to, at which points they would stop and what the fares were.

If I compare BIA with some of the world’s best airports I feel that it is a laudable attempt and a great achievement for Bangalore, though it perhaps needed at least double the space for the 350 plus flights and thousands of passengers being handled on a daily basis. Time for expansion already?”

Bish Mukherjee

Not good enough

I and my husband I M Rao flew back home from Paris-AF 192 on 2 May 27 reaching BIAL at 12.05 am.
My experience was exactly like Ms Anuradha Gokarn's "Harrowing Experience"-Deccan Herald,May 29,2008 I am sure BIAL was conceived and built not according to International Standards but just good enough for a Third World country like India who of late have been crowing-we are the best !

Rekha Rao (artist)
Bangalore

Strange issues

I landed in BIAL on May 26 at 00:30 hrs. I faced some very strange and unexpected issues.
- There was no public telephone available. I don't think anybody should expect that everyone would carry cell phones. One kind lady at the "information centre" provided her personal cell phone to call up my company guys for the cab.

- One of the passengers was enquiring about nearby hotels to get an accommodation for 5-6hrs. He had a domestic flight in the morning around 7 am. He was informed that there were NO hotels anywhere nearby in a span of 10-15 kms. Neither there were any facilities inside the BIAL campus. If this is true, then this is a pathetic situation. Imagine the condition of tired passengers after travelling like 25-35hrs of international flight and having to sit for another 5-10 hrs in BIAL

Our company cab guy informed that the cabs aren't allowed in the nearby lanes of BIAL entrance. Its only for TAXIS hired from airport that are allowed. He made us walk for about 10 minutes from the airport to board the car. Do you think that this is a fair thing to do ?

Prashanth Tamraparni
Bangalore

Give some more time

I used the BIA three times in the first week of its opening - two arrivals and one departure. On the whole my experience has been exhilarating, barring a couple of hiccups, which, I am sure, is pardonable. Having arrived in one of the first landings within 24 hours, there was some delay in getting the luggage, but that got sorted out by the time I landed next four days later. It was a reversed situation when it came to getting out of the airport. On the first occasion I was home in Kalyan Nagar in under two hours after touch down because the Vayu Vajra buses were available on demand and it was packed. On the second occasion even finding a bus that plied on my route was difficult to find and it took one whole hour to move out of the airport.

Yes, the toilets need some attention, the baggage handling needs some sorting out, and the aerobridge connecting some perfection.

Let's be patient and give BIA some time to get their act together. In India, we are used to a "functioning anarchy" and so what's that we are cribbing about of the BIA? Come out of that location and we are in total anarchy on the roads. At least within BIA premises we do not have to fight the horde of taxi drivers and autowallas to get out. The very feeling of expansiveness is good enough for me.

Koshy Mathew

Vayu Vajra not stopping

I dropped my uncle and aunt yesterday at JP Nagar stop of Vayu Vajra at 4 PM. None of the Vayu Vajra buses stopped in the bus stand until the 5:15 pm bus. There were many passengers waiting for more than 2 hrs in the bus stand. Finally, a bus came at 5:15 pm, but got stuck at KCSA stadium. Finally the conductor got them into another bus. They finally reached the airport at 6:30 pm. They left our house at Banashankari III Stage near Kamakya at 3:30 pm.

How can we rely on this Vayu Vajra service to the airport? Can BMTC make sure that buses are run at correct schedule so that passengers can be assured of its reliability? Also, there is no service to Kathriguppe/Kamakya/Girinagar area and there are so many NRI's and other IT and business folks travelling to BAIL on a regular basis. Hopefully we can rely on your service in the future.

Gopinath Rao

Compliments to BMTC

We must compliment the BMTC for the excellent transport service. Though very few passengers are availing the service the services should be continued.

At the same time, do away with announcements inside the airport. Passengers hardly make out what is being announced. Toilets facilities are inadequate as are the seating facilities. We hope the BIA plans to provide more seating and rest-room facilities.

H C Muniraj