Night birds find new perch at B'lore airport

Trust Bangaloreans to find unique places to hang out. The latest attraction seems to be the entry lounge area of the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), with many locals and tourists making a beeline for it.

A tight security zone that is also alcohol-free, people of all ages are seen enjoying flavoured tea, coffee or snacks here. Though airport officials do not keep track of the number of visitors, they acknowledge the fact that more people have been visiting the lounge area over the years. “The headcount has definitely increased.

We see bikers coming in the evening or late at night to relax. Teenagers even organise birthday parties here and college students usually meet over coffee and snacks. Despite the extended night life during weekends in the City, we see a rush here,” said an airport official.

What’s more interesting is that even though sale or consumption of liquor is not permitted at the lounge, it does not act as a deterrent for crowds. An airport security officer said that no one has ever been detained or questioned for misbehaving or consuming alcohol here.

The airport has been a crowd-puller since it became operational in May 2008. Earlier, visitors, especially from the outskirts of the City, would come to watch planes land and take off. People from other parts of the State, for instance, the north Karnataka regions like Gulbarga, Raichur, Bijapur and Bagalkot, as also border areas like Hindupur of Andhra Pradesh, come to enjoy the spectacle and the snacks as well.

A shopkeeper from Chai Point, a kiosk at the airport, said even senior citizens visit the lounge late at night for  tea. The weekends usually see larger crowds. Sumith B, an IT professional residing in Koramangala, said: “My wife and I go on long drives during the weekend to the airport for nibbles late in the night. The drive is safe and so is the area. The ambience is also nice. This has become our hang-out joint.”

Echoing similar sentiments, Haritha P, an accounts analyst, said, “The night life at the airport is decent and the crowd here is well-behaved, which is why I come with my friends despite the extended hours in City pubs and eateries.”