Madness at Delhi airport

New Delhi: Passengers trying to board flights at the Indira Gandhi International Airport have fainted or have had epileptic fits due to the claustrophobic conditions prompted by construction work that has led to the closure of large chunks of areas, airlines operating from the airport have said.
The airport — in the midst of a massive facelift — has shrunk considerably, leading to serpentine queues that regularly delay flights. People have missed their flights as they spend hours first battling a gut-crushing rush at the airport’s entrance and then the immigration counters during the peak travel season.
The elderly, handicapped, and passengers with children are suffering the most, a foreign airline said. It said in a letter to airport operator Delhi International Airport (P) Ltd. (DIAL) that the immigration counters posed the biggest bottleneck, as several counters were not operational at any given time due to construction.
Airlines, including national carrier Air India, have asked DIAL to immediately tackle congestion at all points at the airport – from the road leading to the terminal to the security check points inside.
Admitting that the construction process was causing congestion, a DIAL spokesman said it would be comfortable for passengers if they reached the airport early.
03/02/08 Sidhartha Roy/Hindustan Times

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Categories: Airports Mar 2008