Soon, check-in for airport at select metro stations in Chennai

CHENNAI: The Chennai Airport Authority along with Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) plans to introduce check-in for airports at select metro stations to facilitate hassle-free check-in.

Chennai Airport Authority Director Sharad Kumar said that this initiative would reduce crowd at airport check-in if 50 per cent of people preferred to reach the airport by metro train. To facilitate the air commuters Chennai Airport Authority along with CMRL is planning to introduce check-in at Chennai-selected Metro stations. This would help commuters to board planes hassle-free. A meeting was held on Wednesday between Airport Authority, CMRL officials and Airlines to explore the possibility of commencing Departure Check-in at Metro Stations.

Speaking on this Chennai Airport Director Sharad Kumar mentioned that this is a pre-conceived plan and we are expecting a CMRL feasibility study by this month's end and looking forward for a trial run by March. Sharad Kumar said, "After COVID we are getting the traffic increasing. We are seeing a good footfall. A lot of people find it difficult to reach the airport with their baggage. We have a discussion with CMRL, they also came up with the idea to check in with select metros".

He also mentioned this could provide hassle-free boarding as anytime commuters can come to the airport and this could reduce traffic on airport roads which may also be the reason for pollution control. "If 50pc of people decide to come by Metro, the metro also would get more people. As of now we have talked to and finalised Indigo, Air India, and Vistara airlines to provide this facility. This is a pre-conceived plan where 65 pc of traffic at Chennai is domestic crowd," Sharad Kumar added.

CMRL is looking into the feasibility of this initiative and would submit the report by January end. By march first Chennai Airport is planning to provide limited operation on the trail base and if everything is perfect by 14 April, it would be full-fledged. CMRL and particular airlines would take responsibility for the commuters' baggage and they would transfer that to the Airport.

"Airlines have huge manpower and along with CMRL, they have their own system to ensure that security is not diluted. Once their check-in is done. Once they get their boarding pass they can simply reach Chennai Airport and can travel hassle-free," he added.