Chennai airport to have an air-conditioned tube for better access to board a cab

AAI plans to build an air-conditioned tube connecting terminals and parking for passenger convenience, addressing long-standing complaints.

In six months, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has planned to create an air-conditioned tube which will connect both domestic and international terminals with the multi-level car parking facility.

The need for such a facility has become imperative as AAI has moved the cab pick point to the multi-level car parking facility and as a result of this change, air passengers have been enduring a very difficult time pulling their trolleys or baggage till they enter a cab. Often, air passengers have been writing to AAI on social media platform X why the authorities are forcing them to go through such a laborious exercise.

The AAI officials said that parallel to the present walkways, roofing with an air-conditioned tube fitted along with walkalator will be built. Initially, they had only planned an additional walkalator between the terminal and the parking lot but now, they will turn it into an air-conditioned tube with a walkalator for better convenience. “We will open a new exit point from the T1 and T4 domestic terminals and the T2 international terminal and install lifts and escalators. The mezzanine level will be connected with the air-conditioned tube. A passenger exiting the arrival hall will have to travel to the mezzanine level using an escalator or life and can enter the second level of the parking lot through the tube,” an official said.

At present, the two covered walkways are mostly used by departing passengers coming to the airport by car. Many arriving passengers feel that with baggage, walking in heat or during rain from the terminal to the parking lot is a gruelling task. Hence, this air-conditioned tube has been proposed now.

K. S. Chitra, a 68-year-old passenger who arrived from Mumbai to Chennai a few days ago, said that the authorities need to increase the number of buggies. “I had to wait for 15 minutes with my baggage to get a buggie. When multiple flights arrive, at least 100-150 passengers will come out. How can 20-30 buggies be sufficient for so many people” she asks.

Vidyasagar, a frequent flyer, said that creating such facilities after receiving passenger complaints doesn’t help. “Passengers end up suffering for months together until the issue is fixed. Rather, better planning should be done to avoid inconvenience for passengers and build these facilities in advance,” he adds.