Team-BHP - Bengaluru International Airport

Had travelled onward on 8th night / 9th early morning and return on 11th night / 12th morning.

Onward, was manageable, passport control took a while, however, compared to pre corona / start of this year, it was not that different. I guess the entire queue time was around 30 mins - passport + security.

Return, our flight landed around 2.10 AM, from right outside the aero bridge there was huge line till immigration.

Airport employees were saying the issue was since multiple international flights landed at same time due to delay related to rain + fog. However, on checking the number of flights, they mentioned 3 flights.

Our flight was on time anyway, so it looks less of an issue with multiple flights landing, but more of issue in management of counters.

There was one counter specifically for G20 delegates, but it was not crowded. However, the delegates had to go through sea of people to reach there, very badly managed I felt.

It took around 1.5 hours to exit immigration, however on reaching the baggage claim, it was mentioned that baggage of many of us were stuck. That took another half hour.

By time I was able to get in to taxi, it was around 4.20 AM. So a cool 2 hours after flight landed.

This was the queue right outside the aero bridge, the counters are on right side. Past the brown panels that you can see through glass.

Bengaluru International Airport-pxl_20221211_205538279.mp.jpg

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrokenHW (Post 5461497)

For travelers traveling out of KIAL, we have a site showing the estimated wait time for different counters

https://www.bengaluruairport.com/tra...imatedWaitTime

Thanks for this. I have a domestic flight out of KIA this evening and I was looking for this information somewhere. Hopefully this is reliable!

Quote:

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki (Post 5461535)

Interesting. Although, I do not see how this info is useful to a passenger who is at the airport.

I guess this immensely helps passengers plan their travel before they reach the airport.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shifu (Post 5461542)

I guess this immensely helps passengers plan their travel before they reach the airport.

I do not see how.

Let us say, I check the website and the security check shows 10 mins delay. I need 1.5 hours minimum to reach security check from the time I depart home. In this 1.5 hrs things might have become worse or better. The queue at the counters are proportional to the number of flights scheduled for take-off at a given time window. It makes more sense to check the departure schedule of the airport in apps like FlightRadar24 and plan accordingly than just rely on this info

Quote:

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki (Post 5461595)

Agree, just this info is probably not enough to make an accurate assessment.

But one of the reasons why an airport terminal gets crowded is some passengers arrive well ahead of their "expected time to arrive" at the airport. This is more true during the holiday season where media has made a lot of noise about delays at the airport. For domestic flights I typically plan to arrive 100 -120 mins before the Departure time. But from the news I read that folks were still missing their flight. Hence I was planning to reach there ~180 mins in advance.

Now the information on this site gives me some indication about the wait. If the time for the whole process shows it is finishing in 20-30 mins, I can still plan to be there about 120 mins in advance. But if it shows the time as 60 mins or so, I can gauge that it is utter chaos I better arrive 180 mins in advance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ninjatalli (Post 5461609)

Do note the disclaimer in bold on the same page / link lol:

* Please note that the wait time is only indicative and may not reflect the actual time *

Yes, it is just an estimation/indication. Rest is left to your own fate.

As they say, never run behind a train, flight or a girl - the next one comes after the current one leaves :D (I hope I don't end up eating my own words this evening!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by deep_bang (Post 5461779)

I have a few visitors getting into Bangalore early next week and I would prefer to have an Innova class car to ferry them back to the city. Any idea if they can be rented right at the airport counters?
Would it be less expensive if I would hire it from the city (2way)?

Yes you can hire at the airport. Theres a counter just before exit gates i think.

If you use mygate app, then you can book a ride from them (they use quickride services) it's pretty good and will be comparatively cost effective. This summer i booked an innova thru them to get to my home (Bellandur) and it cost me around 1800 which was pretty good. The car was a very well maintained, almost mint condition crysta.

Took a domestic flight last night. After hearing horror stories of the crowds and people missing flights, started to the airport a full 4 hours before my flight. Ended up killing 2 hours. Easy to get in, easy to get through security. Used the Metro to Majestic, Airport Bus from there. Fast track entry gate because I had just hand baggage and web-check in. Didn't see long lines either, everything seemed to flow smoothly.

No one was bothering to check for masks, even though the KA govt seems to have announced it on flights.

Quote:

Originally Posted by am1m (Post 5462768)

... I had just hand baggage and web-check in...

Seasonal chaos aside, this is the key to hassle-free air travel.

I tried the switch to 'cabin bags only' a few years ago, when Air France left my luggage in Paris one winter on a tight layover and I had to freeze my butt off in -12°C Boston with inadequate winter wear waiting for the bag to arrive on the next incoming flight.

I found 12-13 kgs cabin luggage (7 kgs domestic) plus a laptop bag are sufficient for a minimalist traveler like me for a week's working visit.

Haven't checked a bag onto a flight for several years now, haven't been to a service counter at all since airports went paperless, and it's so much simpler to be able to just walk in & out of airports quickly. Last time in Boston, with their automated immigration kiosks, I was out of the airport within 15 mins of getting off the plane!