A look at the new Bangalore Airport
One look at the ‘Taste of India’ cafe and my sleepy mood was shaken away and made me head that way. The Khara Bath, Idli Vada and the like on their menu are something that I really needed after waking up at an unearthly hour and dragging myself up to the airport to catch my 6am flight. Finally someone understood that people who get into airports are normal human beings eating normal food, and don’t relish living on re-heated and overpriced stale sandwich and machine coffee.
Though the new Bangalore airport was never in news for good things, it does have many good things to go with it. The Taste of India cafe is just one of them. I was sick and tired of having to live on inedible trash served in small kiosks at the old airport. Could not they serve Idli, Vada and Dosa instead of acting like they live somewhere in Europe or North America? You could ask for an espresso but filter coffee was a no no. Things still haven’t changed when it comes to filter coffee, but the Barista outlet at the airport lounge is good enough to make me happy.
The biggest problem with the airport is something that people have been whining all the time – it’s the distance. Having to board a flight at 6am meant lot of curses to people who booked my ticket, getting up at 2.30am, get ready and run to the bus stop to catch the 3.30am bus. Lucky that I am, one of the airport buses of BMTC starts from a bus stop just 5 minutes away from home. Otherwise it had to be an expensive cab ride all the way, or starting much earlier to get to a bus stop. Thankfully we have frequent services from BMTC without which it would be a difficult affair to get to airport.
Once on the bus, the conductor sat next to me and started a casual conversation, not realizing that 3.30am is not exactly a great time for some chatter.
“yelli hogthaa ideera?” he asked. “where are you going?”
He laughed when I said Delhi, and responded with a joke that is now time tested – “two hours to the airport and two more hours of flying!”
I guess you have to make some sacrifices if you want a new airport. Globetrotting Bangaloreans thought it is ‘cool’ to complain about the old HAL airport even when it functioned smoothly, and kept asking for a new swanky airport. Though, in its last days, the old airport was getting too crowded and a new one was becoming a necessity. There were frequent delays in take off and landing as the planes waited for their share of the runway.
Bad things about the airport stop with the distance and time taken to reach there. Its structure is simple and functional – there isn’t anything convoluted and arty in the building that hinders normal functioning at any point of time. Queues are short and move quickly for check ins and security clearances. The self check in koisks make life easier. There is some sensible food available once you get into the lounge, and there is enough space and seating for all. Free WiFi comes handy if you have a long wait for boarding your flight. It’s full of conveniences and free of hassles.
To conclude, the distance is a big put off. But once you get there, everything is as good as it should be. Filter coffee would be a definite bonus, if the Barista at the lounge is willing to sell it.