Airport terminal for Haj pilgrims

Kolkata: Haj pilgrims no longer have to wait under shamianas at the airport. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has started a multi-purpose terminal, especially for those bound for Haj, which will be used for low-cost carriers at other times.
The first Air India Haj flight from Kolkata will take off with 422 pilgrims from this terminal on Tuesday afternoon.
One of the advantages of the new terminal is that passengers of routine flights will no longer be inconvenienced due to festive-season rush. "To avoid the extra rush at the airport during special occasions like Haj, we have constructed the terminal, where our old international terminal once stood. During other times of the year, when there is rush, the multipurpose terminal will be used as a dedicated one for low-cost carriers or executive-class passengers," said airport director R Srinivasan.
Till 2008, Haj pilgrims would have to wait outside the airport terminal building under shamianas till they were called for check-in. Even when they went in, they would be cramped up at the check-in, immigration and security counters. As a result, other international passengers would also be inconvenienced.
The new air-conditioned terminal has X-ray machines, five check-in counters, three immigration counters, two Customs counters, a bank extension counter for foreign exchange transactions and a medical room.
20/10/09 Times of India

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Categories: Airports Oct 2009