Karan, a media professional, keeps his date with the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) every other week. But, he does not have a flight to catch or a friend or relative to receive at the airport. For him, a trip to the airport is what a trip to the mall is for the others.
“I usually ride to the airport, spend a few hours there sipping coffee and watching people leave or arrive. It feels good to be away from the hustle and bustle of the city,” he says.
Karan, apparently, is not the only occasional “visitor” to KIA. Bangalore International Airport Ltd. (BIAL) officials said the airport had several such visitors who travel all the way to Devanahalli just to spend some time there and return to the city.
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This is apart the those who are there to see off or pick up passengers. With over approximately 67,000 passengers a day, KIA, touted to be the fastest-growing airport in the world, is doing its bit to put up something for visitors as well as travellers.
“We have an exciting kerb that attract visitors. When we started off, we did not expect this kind of a response. In 2013, a lot of outlets were added to the kerb. The idea is to create a new airport experience. Earlier, the airport played a passive role in the travel chain. Now, it has become a destination by itself,” said a BIAL spokesperson.
Apart from offering 24x7 food and beverage outlets on the kerbside, a factor that attracts non-traveller visitors, BIAL also has other additions. “The peak season is during May and December when there are holidays. During May, there are young travellers as schools are closed. So, we initiated a play port for them. We also have the Dasara celebrations and then the ‘Season of Smiles’ in December (which coincides with Christmas),” said the spokesperson.
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The traveller profile too is changing at the airport. From business travellers dominating the numbers earlier, the airport has been noticing a steady growth in the number of students, leisure travellers, as well as medical tourism.