Waiting for flights is now a pleasant experience. Fliers can now sip their favourite brew at Café Coffee Day (CCD), and would soon be able to visit a spa or relax at the executive lounge that will come up at the renovated and extended security hold area at Patna airport.
Medha Verma, a Boring Road resident, who lives in Dubai with her husband, was in for a surprise when she entered the renovated and extended security hold area at Patna airport on Thursday evening.
“I used to be annoyed while waiting for flights at the old security hold area of Patna airport owing to the limited seating space and mosquitoes that spared nobody. I am delighted with the new, swanky look. I believe it is on a par with most other airports in the country,” said Medha.
Like Medha, most fliers in the state capital are upbeat over the extended security hold area of the terminal building at Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport, which was inaugurated on June 3.
The passenger holding capacity of the security area has already doubled.
The new area has three snacks bars, including Café Coffee Day, a jewellery shop and a childcare centre.
Narendra Kumar, a frequent flier from the city, witnessed the renovated area at the airport on June 6, when he went to Ranchi.
“The most significant difference at the security hold has been the increase in seating capacity. Now, almost everyone gets to sit while waiting for flights. Earlier, most passengers were left standing. The increase in the number of display screens showing the flight status also helps,” said Narendra, director, Hotel Windsor, Patna.
Airport authorities are working on opening a spa and an executive lounge at the extended security hold area within three months.
“We want new facilities and services at the airport but space constraints act as a bottleneck. However, we have floated tenders for the spa and the executive lounge. We expect to start the two facilities within three months,” said a senior official of Airports Authority of India (AAI), Patna.
Visitors would also be able to savour coffee at a second outlet of CCD, which would come up in place of the existing snacks bar at the visitors’ lounge of the terminal building.
“The contract for the new outlet at the lounge has already been awarded to CCD and they have been given two months time to start operations,” said the AAI official.
Steps are also being taken to increase safety at the extended security hold area. “Though a few closed circuit television cameras have been installed, a technical team has assessed that there is a requirement for more security. Tenders for procurement and installation of more such devices would be floated in a couple of days,” said the AAI official.
Tour operators, however, believe the airport has miles to go. “A comfortable security hold area is a must at an airport. Though this has come up at Patna airport, there is a need for more check-in counters for different airlines so as to avoid queues. The visitors’ lounge is also very small and congested,” said Shailesh Kumar, the chief executive of the city-based Nalanda Travels.
