Festive flier rush: Reach Ahmedabad airport well in advance!

AHMEDABAD: Come Monday and the passenger rush at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) airport in Ahmedabad will surge significantly. The civil aviation ministry has given the nod to domestic flights to operate at 100% capacity, effective October 18.

On average, 20,000 passengers transit through the city airport and this number is expected to increase during the festive season, suggest estimates of the SVPI airport spokesperson.
“We advise all our passengers to reach the airport well in advance for security checks owing to the ongoing high alert situation,” said the spokesperson, in response to an email query from TOI.
Anticipating the rush, even travel agents are requesting their clients to reach the airport early, especially during the peak hours.
“The majority of passengers at the city airport travel during the peak hours and the rush is already high,” said Manish Sharma, chairman, Gujarat region, Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI). “People have to wait in queues right from the entrance to the check-in and security check zones.” Sharma added: “Looking at the bookings we are getting, the passenger rush during the coming few weeks will certainly increase and we are requesting our clients to report early to avoid any unnecessary delays.”
The airport data suggests that approximate flight movements during this festive season has crossed 190 over a 24-hour period, with 45 flights in the morning and 45 in the evening and approximately 100 movements spread out during the day.
To effectively manage the passenger rush, airport authorities said that they are putting additional measures in place. “Stringent safety and security measures have been further enhanced at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport,” said the spokesperson of the airport. “We have also enhanced seating capacity at both the terminals for a comfortable waiting experience.”
There will be proactive queue management at the entry gate, check-in, and security points while ensuring social distancing. A curb-side vehicle queuing mitigation plan is in place and a dedicated airport executive will be deployed for seamless passenger query assistance. “These team members will ensure a quick yet safe turnaround at all the security checkpoints for a smooth passenger experience,” the spokesperson added.