‘Make the new airports more user-friendly’

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, in its report on the functioning of private airports and related issues, has found certain areas that need immediate attention, including the fact that passengers at greenfield airports have to pay exorbitant prices for food items.
The implementation of the panel’s recommendations could make a visit to the new airports at Hyderabad and Bangalore a lot more relaxing.
“The eateries are charging much more than the Maximum Retail Price (MRP), which is against the Supreme Court order.
Besides there is no canteen for the employees and staff working at these airports,” the Committee, which presented its report to Parliament two weeks ago, points out. The report adds that the drivers and others who are waiting outside the airport should also have affordable canteen facilities and basic amenities like toilets.
The Committee has not only mentioned that the parking charges for vehicles are heavy at these airports, but also expressed surprise at finding that, at Hyderabad, a vehicle entering the airport to drop or pick up a passenger has to pay Rs 35 per trip.
It has also called for strengthening the baggage handling process to reduce the baggage delivery time for passengers.
The Committee is also of the “considered view” that the HAL and Begumpet airports be made operational for domestic civil aviation.
03/11/08 Ashwini Phadnis/Business Line

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Categories: Airports Nov 2008