Trivandrum (TRV) International Airport

[Gopal.K.Kumar]

The number of people coming to see off a traveller (on the average) varies from place to place and from deomestic to international terminals. I do not know whether it is prudent to allow large number of persons inside an airport to see off a person taking a flight. Is it necessary to plan infrastructure to accomodate such a gathering?. To my mind a confortable area before the entry into the checking in area should be provided for such persons. The new Bangalore airport or even the old international terminals at Delhi has sufficient areas provided for this purpose before the entry. Inside the airport (I mean starting from the checking in area) the entry should be restricted to passengers.

[BabuCS]

Originally Posted by Gopal.K.Kumar

The number of people coming to see off a traveller (on the average) varies from place to place and from deomestic to international terminals. I do not know whether it is prudent to allow large number of persons inside an airport to see off a person taking a flight. Is it necessary to plan infrastructure to accomodate such a gathering?. To my mind a confortable area before the entry into the checking in area should be provided for such persons. The new Bangalore airport or even the old international terminals at Delhi has sufficient areas provided for this purpose before the entry. Inside the airport (I mean starting from the checking in area) the entry should be restricted to passengers.

I didn't mean an entire village should be allowed in .. certainly the immediate family members of a Gulf passenger qualify for it. Beyond check-in nobody should be allowed. This will also allow a child or a senior citizen travelling alone to seek help in check-in..from son/daughter or father/mother; of course some airlines such as SIA offer help to such passengers.
Regarding the commercial side, if you have a big arrival and departure lounge, I believe it is also a good source of revenue since TIA could run many restaurants and stalls in this area and I guess the business will be huge.
But, I do not favor an entry fee for them.

[jaleelmalik]

Originally Posted by BabuCS

I didn't mean an entire village should be allowed in .. certainly the immediate family members of a Gulf passenger qualify for it. Beyond check-in nobody should be allowed. This will also allow a child or a senior citizen travelling alone to seek help in check-in..from son/daughter or father/mother; of course some airlines such as SIA offer help to such passengers.
Regarding the commercial side, if you have a big arrival and departure lounge, I believe it is also a good source of revenue since TIA could run many restaurants and stalls in this area and I guess the business will be huge.
But, I do not favor an entry fee for them.

Let the Security reasons be there. As per the social nature & culture of the people of the South Tamil Nadu, especially those living in interior villages of Kanya Kumari, Tirunelveli , Madurai & Tuticorin Districts, they tend to come to Trivandrum Airport as a massive group and see off their beloved ones.
Usually they come in Mini buses / vans like Mahindra, Tempo / Force Traveller etc etc. After seeing off the friends and relatives they make a tour to all important places of the city, starting from Sanghumughom beach & Veli.
We enormous number of cars & vans bearing plate numbers under the series TN-58, TN-59, TN-69, TN-72TN-74 & TN-76 itself is an indicator of these "see off tourists". Infact, this plays a major role in promoting the (small to medium range) hotel & restaurant buisness in the city.

However, the AAI knows this social factor very well and had been drastically increasing the parking fee and entry fees drastically. There was a time when the entry fee was around Re.1/-, then to Rs.3/- , later to Rs.5/- then 10, 20,30,50 and 60. I don't know how much is the current rate. The parking fee had also been enhanced like this just with a commercial purpose. Even there were cases wherein Parking fees were collected from the passing by vehicles too. Such sorts of malpractices should be stopped at any cost.

[Rajith]

Originally Posted by sudheeshnairs

My personal feeling is not to entertain all who comes to drop the passengers. In our Airports I have seen the drop off points of domestic terminals better managed than international terminals. To drop a person going to work in Gulf, the whole village will drop down to the Airport. Even it creates huge crowds piling up which makes it difficult to maintain the premises.

Anyway there could be provisions for letting visitors enter some portion, of course with a good fee.

These crowds do a positive impact on the economy. The business and tourism perspective increases. I have seen crowds coming from Ambasamudram and even Malappuram !!! These people hang around in the city for a couple of days visiting all the tourist places.
So, I feel that the airport should be designed to entertain these kind of "see-off"s.

[jaleelmalik]

Originally Posted by Rajith

These crowds do a positive impact on the economy. The business and tourism perspective increases. I have seen crowds coming from Ambasamudram and even Malappuram !!! These people hang around in the city for a couple of days visiting all the tourist places.
So, I feel that the airport should be designed to entertain these kind of "see-off"s.

That was what I was trying to explain too.

[scorpiogenius]

Originally Posted by Rajith

These crowds do a positive impact on the economy. The business and tourism perspective increases. I have seen crowds coming from Ambasamudram and even Malappuram !!! These people hang around in the city for a couple of days visiting all the tourist places.
So, I feel that the airport should be designed to entertain these kind of "see-off"s.

Thats true Rajith.

In many international airports there are Viewing platforms for the public, where they are allowed at a nominal charge. This is one of the big attractions of many cities, and could well be tried out in Trivandrum also. I have vague memories of such a visitor's lounge in Trivandrum, when I went to see my daddy off in the early 1980s, but I think its done with now.

Many world cities project their airports as a major point of attraction. I've seen banners in Zurich inviting the tourists (and citizens) to visit the airport. Zurich has a big pavilion for the visitors fitted with telescopes, real life aircraft models, kids amusement facilities, sky garden, cafes and other amenities which will give the visitors a unique experience. I had posted pictures of it somewhere here in SSC but cant locate the post now...

[Thadiyan]

Hello All,

Yes overseas plane spotting is a hobby actively pursued enthusiastically by many ardent fans. And airport terminals do have the facilities to encourage this, though not at the expense of the travelling public.
In our airports in India it is always a bit of a struggle when one tries to access the terminals both on the outbound and return legs of each trip. I am sure many will recall the times we have had to struggle with our luggage thru a throng on curious crowd all either eagerly waiting to receive or in despair of seeing loved ones off.
But what one fails is the lack of planning in any airport for the easy access or exit of the travelling public, while also having the foresight to channel the income which this multitude can generate which in turn could be put to use to make each airport a better place.
I am yet to travel to our latest brand of "IAL's to see if they are any different, but hope by the time I am lucky to be able to - see this change for the better.
Cheers

[BabuCS]

Originally Posted by Thadiyan

Hello All,

Yes overseas plane spotting is a hobby actively pursued enthusiastically by many ardent fans. And airport terminals do have the facilities to encourage this, though not at the expense of the travelling public.
In our airports in India it is always a bit of a struggle when one tries to access the terminals both on the outbound and return legs of each trip. I am sure many will recall the times we have had to struggle with our luggage thru a throng on curious crowd all either eagerly waiting to receive or in despair of seeing loved ones off.
But what one fails is the lack of planning in any airport for the easy access or exit of the travelling public, while also having the foresight to channel the income which this multitude can generate which in turn could be put to use to make each airport a better place.
I am yet to travel to our latest brand of "IAL's to see if they are any different, but hope by the time I am lucky to be able to - see this change for the better.
Cheers

Yes, it is indeed an embarrassment when a thousand eager eyes stare at you when you go out through the single exit door ..not to speak of the impressions by foreigners. Wise thing to do is to make better use of such a crowd and the primary thing for that is to treat them well and with respect. I believe entry fee, as done in other airports, is a negative way to promote this .. after all we don't pay any entry fee to enter a pub..do we?
I am looking forward to a day when kerala airports are a model for other Indian airports ..as in many other fields.

By the way what is IAL Mr. Thadiyan?

[karunakaranashok]

Originally Posted by BabuCS

Yes,
By the way what is IAL Mr. Thadiyan?

My "Dus paise ka " bet is that "IAL" stands for International Airport Limited . By adding prefixes like C, B, M etc to " IAL"they stand for the new brand of privatised airports in the country like those at Cochin, Bangalore Mumbai etc.

Since we at TVM have to still live with a govt owned airport , we will have to be content with a "TIA" and not "TIAL".

[Tri Man]

Originally Posted by scorpiogenius

Thats true Rajith.

In many international airports there are Viewing platforms for the public, where they are allowed at a nominal charge. This is one of the big attractions of many cities, and could well be tried out in Trivandrum also. I have vague memories of such a visitor's lounge in Trivandrum, when I went to see my daddy off in the early 1980s, but I think its done with now.

Many world cities project their airports as a major point of attraction. I've seen banners in Zurich inviting the tourists (and citizens) to visit the airport. Zurich has a big pavilion for the visitors fitted with telescopes, real life aircraft models, kids amusement facilities, sky garden, cafes and other amenities which will give the visitors a unique experience. I had posted pictures of it somewhere here in SSC but cant locate the post now...

I agree with you Scorpiogenius.The is still an unexplored possibility of Airport Tourism.CIAL has a Go-Karting track (Generting an approx. revenue of 15000 to 50000 per day) and also is constructing a full fledged Golf Course.
This provides entertainment to passengers from long distance and also provides good source of revenue to the airport.
I think TIA also should go for similar entertainment facility.

[sudheeshnairs]

Focus of the this thread is getting diverted, good if we stick to the Airport terminal works.

[Ajaypp]

Getting back to business, the work on the AI MRO complex is proceeding fast. The first few steel columns which will make up the structure of the hangar itself have already been erected and concreting of the foundations is approaching completion.


Shot at 2008-10-07

[Viveks]

Qatar Airways introducing daily flights from TIA to JFK in New York via Doha along with other nine major destinations include Calicut and kochi.


http://www.siasat.com/english/index....itle=Hyderabad

[Gopal.K.Kumar]

Kingfisher Red (old Air Deccan now merged with Kingfisher) is introducing flight between Bangalore and Trivandrum from today.

BANGALORE-TRIVANDRUM IT4731 1500 1630 Daily
TRIVANDRUM-BANGALORE IT4732 1700 1830 Daily

Looks as though the airlines who left TIA a few months ago are coming back

[harikg]

Hey,

Kingfisher Red has not started any new service from TIA, it is the Kingfisher Airlines which has started a new evening flight from TIA to Bangalore. Now there are three daily services of the airline to Bangalore. However, we dont see any rise in the international air traffic. Saudia, even though has permit to land at TIA has not yet announced any new service. Air india express has introduced daily services to dubai, while air india has withdrawn the wide bodied A310 from the dubai sector. As regards the aerobridge installation at TIA international terminal (present T2) , we may get some updated information, if we send an application to the Airports authority of india under the Right to Information Act. Updated information about procurement of aerobridges done by AAI for indian airports has to be obtained for knowing the progress in its installation at TIA.

[jadugar1984]

Ajay, Sudheesh

Is there any info on the facilities available inside our new terminal, like number of check-in counters and all? I did find some pictures of the other international terminals like chennai, hyderbad, kolkata etc in some websites, which actually have the faciliity of boarding on atleast 10 flights at a time.

So i wonder is there any similar kind of expansion like accommodating more flights at a time, in TIA's 2nd phase?

Curious to know!!!!

[12kris]

Some time back, I had seen a news item that AAI was re-inviting tenders for the TIA duty free shops after increasing the areas. Does anyone know if the bids have been finalized. Otherwise this could cause a delay.

[d_rk]

This was taken my friend when he flown from TIA on on 21st Sept..

[scorpiogenius]

SUPERB SHOT d rk! pat on the back for your pal And happy to see old forumers like you still keeping the tab.

The two areobridge structures seem to be nearing completion as well. The aerobridges will hopefully be connected by the time the terminal opens..

[d_rk]

Thanks scorpio.. of course man...i am still here and now this thread, infact the whole skyscrapercity has become my part of life.. not a single day went, without looking at india forum, specially tvm forum.. and whenever i cannot access internet, while on some trip.. i feel so frustrated.. and when i get a connection, the first thing i open is my mails, skyacrapercity and arrahmanfans yahoo groups..

Mr friend was a little upset too because he took around 5-6 photos and it was like the pilot knows that he need to take photo so giving him a nice tours of the construction.. but unfortunately, all others comes as blurred.. only this is clear one.. ..