In a few months, international passengers leaving Chennai airport can walk through without feeling exhausted after waiting in serpentine queues to check-in and drop off their baggage.
The new integrated terminal being built now as part of phase II modernisation project is getting ready for opening mid-year. In it, there will be baggage drop kiosks and self check-in counters.
While self check-in counters are functioning in the terminals, the baggage drop kiosks is a much-needed facility at the new terminal. At present, passengers have to spend a long time standing in queue to finish the check-in and drop the baggage. Officials of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said there would be 5-6 baggage kiosks in the international terminal. “Usually, the queues in the international terminal takes some time to get cleared and passengers have to stand for long. One of the primary reasons is those who travel abroad have quite a lot of baggage and this process becomes a time-consuming one at the check-in counters,” an official said.
Congestion to go
When the drop in facility is introduced, passengers can finish the check-in and drop the baggage quickly and leave for the remaining security and immigration procedures. This will reduce congestion in the terminal to a great extent,” the official said.
To assist passengers, there will be staff near the counters as well. As a precursor, the AAI started self-baggage tagging and drop on a pilot basis early this month.
The construction of the ₹2,000-crore terminal has been on for a few years now and passengers can get a glimpse of the exterior work now. Officials said apart from the main focus on improving passenger amenities, design too has assumed importance now with the aim of giving passengers a view of the State’s art and culture. While the lighting in the ceiling has kolam motifs, gold clad pillars are installed in the arrival hall.
