Cabs denied permission for pick-ups at Pune airport new terminal; flyers furious

If cabs are allowed pick-ups, the terminal premises will be overcrowded with vehicles. Therefore, taxis and cabs have been denied permission. However, there is no restriction on private vehicles, said Santosh Dhoke, Pune airport director

While the new terminal building of the Pune airport will be inaugurated in the next two to three weeks, the airport administration has denied permission to cabs for pick-ups due to lack of space in the new terminal building. As a result, passengers will have to walk down to the Aero Mall premises, luggage in tow, to take cabs to their destinations.

The airport administration has denied permission to cabs for pick-ups due to lack of space in the new terminal building. (HT FILE)

As per the information shared by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) Pune, passengers will get international facilities at the new terminal building. However, much like the old terminal, space will be a problem even at the new terminal. With three gates each for arrivals and departures, there will not be too much of a rush of passengers going in and out at the new terminal. While private vehicles have been permitted pick-ups and drops, taxis and cabs have been denied permission for pick-ups.

The old terminal building has the same arrangement but there are facilities (pedestrian bridge, escalator and lift) for passengers to go to the Aero Mall for taking cabs. Whereas the Aero Mall is relatively far from the new terminal building due to which the airport authorities have not been able to construct a pedestrian bridge connecting the new terminal building with the Aero Mall. As such, passengers taking cabs will have to walk down to the Aero Mall with their luggage.

Anagha Mande, a frequent flyer, said, “Most of the passengers book private cabs after their arrival at the airport to return home but if we are again forced to walk all the way to the Aero Mall for boarding the cab, what’s the use…”

Santosh Dhoke, Pune airport director, said, “If cabs are allowed pick-ups, the terminal premises will be overcrowded with vehicles. Therefore, taxis and cabs have been denied permission. However, there is no restriction on private vehicles.”