KIA will have separate crew terminal to ease congestion

Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) has become the first airport in the country with a crew-only terminal dedicated to airline staff as the airport expects its daily crew load to double in the coming days.

Located in close proximity to the airline offices, the crew terminal seeks to decongest the main terminal and provide crews easy access to enter and exit the airport without too many security hassles.

Currently, the new terminal, which is approximately 5,000 sq feet in size, will cater only to domestic departing crews while international crews will continue to use the main terminal to complete mandatory immigration and regulatory formalities.

On an average, 350 to 400 domestic crew members depart through the airport each day and the numbers, according to the BIAL, are expected to touch over 500 to 600 in the coming days.

he city's airport is currently the third busiest airport in the country, and busiest in South India, with over 90,000 passengers and over 600 aircraft movements each day.

With the new crew-only terminal, airline crews will be excused from long lines at security checkpoints at the main terminal. The facility is designed to provide hassle-free entry to the tarmac.

The facility, which will be operational around the clock, will help crews complete security checks in less time before proceeding to the aircraft.

According to BIAL officials, the initiative is aimed at reducing the waiting period for passengers during security checks at the main terminal.

“BIAL has been a pioneer in airport innovation and the introduction of the crew terminal is testimony to that spirit of innovation. We are always looking for ways to improve the stakeholder experience at our airport,” BIAL Chief Operating Officer Javed Malik said.