Passengers face shortage of chairs at Lohegaon airport

Passengers face shortage of chairs at Lohegaon airport

Pune: There have been several complaints against the inadequate number of chairs for passengers at the Pune airport.

The authorities want to increase the number of seats in the terminal building and create seating facilities for at least 1,000 people and 800 more trolleys for fliers. 

The Pune airport authority put in demands for more chairs and trolleys with the Airport Authority of India (AAI) regional headquarters in Mumbai via a letter sent in May, but the demands have been ignored. 

The Pune airport has a daily footfall of 16,430 and fliers have only 600 chairs. Often passengers have to stand while waiting for their flights. With ongoing expansion of terminal building, the daily footfall will increase further. There are about 700 baggage trolleys of which 235 need to be repaired. 

According to the Pune airport officials, “We have written a letter to Western Region headquarters asking them to provide 800 more trolleys, but they have not given any response to us.” 

Sources told Sakal Times that the sitting arrangements in the area located right outside the airport terminal building would also be enhanced. 

“The plan comes under the airport expansion project. Presently, there are practically no seating arrangements outside the terminal building. Many passengers come early at the airport fearing getting caught in traffic jam. But the CISF don't let them inside as one can enter only an hour before the flight. Hence they have to stand outside as there are few chairs outside.

Similarly the number of trolleys is inadequate. The passengers coming to Pune have to wait for their vehicles and they can be seen standing outside the arrival gate as there are no chairs for them,” said the official. 

AAI plans to use old chairs at RCS airports 
In May 2017, the AAI asked Pune airport Director Ajay Kumar to hand over unused old chairs and trolleys to it so they can be supplied to Regional Connectivity Services (RCS) airports. Kumar replied to AAI, “We do not have chairs and trolleys. If you provide us 1,000 chairs we may be able to send 250 old chairs to be supplied to RCS centres.”  
 

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