The new facility is giving flyers a workstation feel at the airport
The airport has 1,774 three-seater chairs, of which 954 are being upgraded to ones with charging ports. Sources said replacing the chairs, most of which are 12 years old, is estimated to cost around Rs 5.5 crore.
It is a very convenient facility,” said another passenger. The passenger, who was travelling to Bangkok, said he had noticed several improvements at the airport over the past one or two years. Unlike conventional charging points meant largely for mobile phones, the new units provide standard electrical sockets that can be used for laptops and other devices requiring conventional plugs,” said airport director Vikram Singh. In February, airport authorities had said island charging facilities were available near every other boarding gate, but their capacity was limited, with only three or four passengers able to use them at a time. The placement of these modular units in a parallel configuration has reduced the likelihood of face-to-face encounters between passengers, officials said.
“The charging points and seating arrangement are very good. I needed to charge my devices and easily found a charging point. “The charging stations are properly managed. We can charge our phones while sitting in the rest areas and waiting for our flights. “It is a good initiative, but the number of charging points can be increased. The seating area is quite large, but the number of charging stations is relatively less. “The charging points have been positioned at locations where passengers tend to spend considerable time before boarding. The latest installations are part of a wider effort to improve passenger amenities at the terminal. Airport seating arrangements are designed to adhere to a worldwide standard, featuring sets of three connected seats divided by armrests.
The airport had earlier identified the shortage of charging points as a passenger pain point. Earlier, it was a hassle,” said Souvik Sen, who was heading to Ahmedabad on Sunday.