The newly built Terminal 3 of the Chaudhary Charan Singh International (CCSI) Airport here commenced operations on Sunday.
Inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 10, T3 managed eight domestic flights operated by Akasa Air on the first day.
Built at a cost of ₹2,400 crore, it can manage up to 80 lakh passengers in a year at its present capacity, airport spokesperson Rupesh Kumar said. When the Phase 2 would be completed, around 1.3 crore passengers could be handled annually, he added.
Airport staff gifted goodies to passengers of the first departing flight, QP1526, from Lucknow to Bengaluru. Passengers who came on the first flight were also gifted goodies. Akasa Air operated both the arriving and departing flights with almost 100 per cent load factor, officials said.
The airline operated three scheduled flights – two to Bengaluru and one to Mumbai—and a chartered flight to Bengaluru. On the first day, over 1,200 passengers took the services of T3.
Announcing the commencement of operations, the airport spokesperson said, “Terminal 3 began operations with world-class infrastructure from Sunday. Lucknow Airport deployed over 50 customer service associates and signages at strategic decision-making points to ensure that no passengers missed their flight and reached the terminal on time. The airport also handled operations from the existing Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 smoothly.”
{{/usCountry}}Announcing the commencement of operations, the airport spokesperson said, “Terminal 3 began operations with world-class infrastructure from Sunday. Lucknow Airport deployed over 50 customer service associates and signages at strategic decision-making points to ensure that no passengers missed their flight and reached the terminal on time. The airport also handled operations from the existing Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 smoothly.”
{{/usCountry}}“The Lucknow airport also inaugurated IndiGo’s new flight to Bhopal from Terminal 2,” the spokesperson added.
More features for flyers
CCSI Airport’s T3 offers flyers features such as DigiYatra, adequate check-in counters, common-use self-service kiosks, self-baggage drop, automated tray retrieval systems, advance baggage screening machines, baggage reclaim belts and aerobridges, and additional parking bays for aircrafts.
Kumar said the newly constructed apron will increase the passenger boarding gates from seven to 13 and passenger boarding bridges from two to seven. At present, the airport connects 29 domestic and eight international destinations. Capacity augmentation will help to improve T3’s operational efficiency.
Check-in counters have been decked up with motifs of chikankari and mukaish embroidery. Graphics on the frosting depict stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, said the spokesperson.
Also, the terminal is equipped with sustainability features and adequate deployment of recyclable materials such as rainwater harvesting wells, a sewage treatment plant and solar-powered system among others.