As Jet closure jams Mumbai Terminal 1, dozens miss flights

MUMBAI: Anyone who thought that Mumbai airport’s domestic Terminal 1 couldn’t get any more crowded, board a flight from here one of these days. Jet Airways’ closure has left the expansive Sahar Terminal 2 deserted and sent hordes of domestic passengers on to the low-cost carrier flights operated out of the space-starved Vile Parle Terminal 1. The queue to clear pre-embarkation security check is so long that around a dozen passengers, if not more, have been missing their flights on certain days.
“Passengers booked to fly SpiceJet or GoAir or IndiGo (some flights are operated out of Terminal 2) this summer should reach the Vile Parle domestic Terminal 1 at least two or more hours before departure time. Jet closure has increased passenger traffic on Terminal 1 by about 20%,” said a senior CISF official. An aviation source said, “On Monday, at least 15 passengers each from IndiGo and SpiceJet couldn’t clear the security and report to the departure gates on time.”

B N Kumar, a Mumbai-based media professional who boarded a flight to Kochi last Thursday, reached Terminal 1 around 8.10am for a 9.20am flight to Kochi. “I received my boarding pass quickly. When I climbed the stairs to reach gate number 24 to clear security, I saw an incredibly long queue. There were at least 50-60 passengers in front of me in my lane, waiting to clear the security check,” said Kumar.

In the next lane, too, there was an equal number waiting and when he turned, he could see at least 40 more passengers behind him in the queue as it stretched below the staircase almost till the pharmacy shop. “Passengers were anxious about missing flights. I couldn’t have jumped the queue, though the boarding time was up. I barely managed to reach the gate on time.”

SpiceJet did not respond to the query sent by TOI. An IndiGo spokesperson said: “There have been long queues and an increased waiting time for security clearance at Mumbai airport, which is usual for this season with high demand due to the approaching holiday season.” The official added the airline has been taking measures to minimize inconvenience. “In case a passenger misses his or her flight due to external factors like infrastructural constraints or high security clearances, IndiGo will ensure to offer re-accommodation to a passenger on available alternates without charge, provided the passenger checks in 45 minutes prior to the scheduled departure. As a practice, we also ensure to send early smses to passengers for flights during peak times a day prior (in advance).”