Mumbai Airport Pick-up Nightmares

Sam Kapasi · 9th June 2009, 09:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by harit

What do you do for pickup? Actually that was the point, almost all other purposes to visit the airport are relatively hassle free.

I'll tell you what I do, both domestic and international. I'm guessing GTO probably does something similar.

As soon as I spot my bag on the conveyor belt I reach for my mobile phone and call my driver.

Come out to the pick up area where my driver appears, usually pretty quick if he's not there already. There's a nice pickup area, clearly marked and honestly, quite convenient.

If I have a guest and I'm picking up, I call for the driver as soon as I see the guest and wait near the pick up area, chatting till the driver arrives.

I have driven myself once to Mumbai Airport to pick someone up. It was not a troublesome experience. I parked in the new park-house, walked across to the arrivals and then asked the arrived person to wait near the pick up area while I drove there quickly.

Honestly, I thought it was pretty OK.

GTO · 9th June 2009, 14:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by harit

What do you do for pickup? Actually that was the point, almost all other purposes to visit the airport are relatively hassle free.

- If I'm flying, it's pretty much Sam's method (or a cab).

- If someone else is, sorry, I don't go at all

spawnofsatan · 9th June 2009, 16:30

I have to pick up someone tomorrow night at 3 am, so lets see how it is then.

harit · 10th June 2009, 01:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

I'll tell you what I do, both domestic and international. I'm guessing GTO probably does something similar.

I have driven myself once to Mumbai Airport to pick someone up. It was not a troublesome experience. I parked in the new park-house, walked across to the arrivals and then asked the arrived person to wait near the pick up area while I drove there quickly.

Honestly, I thought it was pretty OK.

I cannot imagine that you did this at the international airport at night when 2 to 3 flights land at the same time. Because at tha time nothing is OK, pretty or otherwise! Forget about taking your car out, even taking it into the new park house takes time.
Spawn of SATAN promised to report to us his experience shortly. But who knows, he may have the DEVIL's luck

About parking your car at the Leela, well you will then have to take a prepaid cab who will be only too happy to take you all the way after waiting for hours at the airport for a fare.

harit · 14th June 2009, 00:27

Since apparently not many have been frustrated with the functioning of the parking system at Mumbai Airport, I discussed this with a few non members. Indeed many are pissed of at the way the airport parking has been set up, with the approach and the time it takes to get out and pick up your passenger. One guy gave a very good suggestion, as follows:
Sit in your car on the Andheri Kurla Road or at the stretch before the construction site at ITC Grand Maratha. You arriving passenger should phone you as soon as he has cleared immigration. He should go up to the departure section. You should drive up and pick him up, maybe near the Delta board. But do not park between ITC and Leela, they will sneak up on you and put a clamp.
If your passenger waits at the arrival level, the purpose is defeated because you still have to go through the parking.

spawnofsatan · 15th June 2009, 13:25

So as promised I will post my experience at the airport. I picked up my guest at 3 am and there were not as many people as I expected. The parking situation is not all that bad. Although what I didn't really like was how there are no signs or directions for someone who has visited the new structure for the first time. I had to look around to figure out how the new system works. There is no way things will change so i suppose in time we will all get used to this.

normally_crazy · 24th June 2009, 17:03

Went to Mumbai Airport yesterday to pick up someone at 2330. Called Air India and they said the flight was arriving at 2315. SO we drove down, followed directions and were parked in no time on the 1st floor. It was a breeze.

Walked down to the arrival area which was a mess as usual. Flight arrived at 2352 and the person walked out at 0130 (thats another story) - we walked up to the parking, the guest waited on the ground floor while I went and got the car to the ground floor. Took a max of 5 minutes. Paid 60 bucks on the way out (5 exit lanes).

It isn't such a mess as it's made out to be.

NevGin · 24th June 2009, 17:24

Now let me share my experience at Mumbai airport while picking up my family about 3 weeks back. Parking was a breeze. Family arrives. We roll the baggage carts to the passenger pickup area and then go to the parking building to fetch our parked cars.

Takes a few mins. to get to the passenger pickup area. That's fine. We get 2 parking bays that are far from each other. Bags needed to be fitted as per cars travelling to different destinations. Did a lot of back and forth between the vehicles (Civic & 320d) before we fit everything in. All this took about 8 to 10 mins maximum. During all this, I also informed the TOPS security guard of my situation.

Get back to the car to drive off and was literally surrounded by TOPS security group people who called me "irresponsible" and a whole lot of other things. I told them they were the cause of the chaos at the airport and was driving out when they surrounded my car and hit the bonnet, window with their fists. Very frightening experience for my wife and kids.

I dashed off an e-mail the next day to senior TOPS management expressing my displeasure over the treatment melted out. I got a response the same day expressing their regret.

Very unprofessional and high handed for an organization that has been contracted and shows no hint of good customer service. Rage and bullying seem to the only responses some people have these days.

Sam Kapasi · 24th June 2009, 17:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

Flight arrived at 2352 and the person walked out at 0130

Like I told you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

It isn't such a mess as it's made out to be.

Like I told you.

9th June 2009, 16:30	#18
spawnofsatan BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Los angeles/Mumbai Posts: 708 Thanked: 93 Times View My Garage	I have to pick up someone tomorrow night at 3 am, so lets see how it is then.
	() Thanks

14th June 2009, 00:27	#20
harit Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 4,033 Thanked: 3,281 Times	Since apparently not many have been frustrated with the functioning of the parking system at Mumbai Airport, I discussed this with a few non members. Indeed many are pissed of at the way the airport parking has been set up, with the approach and the time it takes to get out and pick up your passenger. One guy gave a very good suggestion, as follows: Sit in your car on the Andheri Kurla Road or at the stretch before the construction site at ITC Grand Maratha. You arriving passenger should phone you as soon as he has cleared immigration. He should go up to the departure section. You should drive up and pick him up, maybe near the Delta board. But do not park between ITC and Leela, they will sneak up on you and put a clamp. If your passenger waits at the arrival level, the purpose is defeated because you still have to go through the parking.
	() Thanks

15th June 2009, 13:25	#21
spawnofsatan BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Los angeles/Mumbai Posts: 708 Thanked: 93 Times View My Garage	So as promised I will post my experience at the airport. I picked up my guest at 3 am and there were not as many people as I expected. The parking situation is not all that bad. Although what I didn't really like was how there are no signs or directions for someone who has visited the new structure for the first time. I had to look around to figure out how the new system works. There is no way things will change so i suppose in time we will all get used to this.
	() Thanks

24th June 2009, 17:03	#22
normally_crazy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 4,369 Thanked: 528 Times View My Garage	Went to Mumbai Airport yesterday to pick up someone at 2330. Called Air India and they said the flight was arriving at 2315. SO we drove down, followed directions and were parked in no time on the 1st floor. It was a breeze. Walked down to the arrival area which was a mess as usual. Flight arrived at 2352 and the person walked out at 0130 (thats another story) - we walked up to the parking, the guest waited on the ground floor while I went and got the car to the ground floor. Took a max of 5 minutes. Paid 60 bucks on the way out (5 exit lanes). It isn't such a mess as it's made out to be.
	() Thanks

24th June 2009, 17:24	#23
NevGin BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Bombay Posts: 503 Thanked: 437 Times	Now let me share my experience at Mumbai airport while picking up my family about 3 weeks back. Parking was a breeze. Family arrives. We roll the baggage carts to the passenger pickup area and then go to the parking building to fetch our parked cars. Takes a few mins. to get to the passenger pickup area. That's fine. We get 2 parking bays that are far from each other. Bags needed to be fitted as per cars travelling to different destinations. Did a lot of back and forth between the vehicles (Civic & 320d) before we fit everything in. All this took about 8 to 10 mins maximum. During all this, I also informed the TOPS security guard of my situation. Get back to the car to drive off and was literally surrounded by TOPS security group people who called me "irresponsible" and a whole lot of other things. I told them they were the cause of the chaos at the airport and was driving out when they surrounded my car and hit the bonnet, window with their fists. Very frightening experience for my wife and kids. I dashed off an e-mail the next day to senior TOPS management expressing my displeasure over the treatment melted out. I got a response the same day expressing their regret. Very unprofessional and high handed for an organization that has been contracted and shows no hint of good customer service. Rage and bullying seem to the only responses some people have these days.
	() Thanks