Shifting of pick-up point to 2nd floor at Chennai airport poses problems to fliers

CHENNAI: The air passengers in the city airport faced hardship as the taxi pickup point was shifted to the second floor of the multilevel car parking (MLCP) without any prior announcement.

After the inauguration of the MLCP, the passengers usually use the pickup point on the ground floor a few metres away from the exit gate to board the taxi or their vehicle. However, on Monday morning all the passengers were asked to walk about one kilometre and board the taxi from the second or third floor of MLCP.

The passengers, who had more luggage, were shocked, and clueless as there was no prior announcement regarding the change. The battery vehicles to take the passengers to the car parking area were also in very low numbers.

The passengers said that it was unfair to make them go to the third floor of MLCP to board vehicles. They added that only two or three passengers with luggage can board the lift at the same time as there were only three lifts in the MLCP.

Meanwhile, the airport officials said MLCP is under the contract of a private firm which decided to change the pickup point. They added the prior information was not given to the passngers because the pickup point is changed on a trial basis.

Sources alleged that the private firm has changed the pickup point location to increase the waiting time and collect more fares.