"Reach Delhi Airport At Least...": IndiGo, Air India's Advice Amid Crowd Chaos

Due to increasing congestion at the Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, low-budget carrier IndiGo and national carrier Air India on Tuesday advised passengers to reach the airport at least 3.5 hours prior to domestic departures and carry only one piece of hand baggage for a smooth security check.

IndiGo said the Delhi airport is experiencing high footfalls, and check-in and boarding time is expected to be longer than usual. It also advised passengers to use gate numbers 5 and 6 for entry at Delhi Airport, Terminal 3, as these are nearest to the IndiGo check-in counters.

Air India also asked international passengers to arrive four hours before departure for a seamless security check.

"We request our passengers to complete web check-in for faster movement at the Airport," Air India said in its Delhi Airport travel advisory.

On Saturday, the Ministry of Civil Aviation ordered various decongestion measures at the IGIA, officials said. The move came in the wake of numerous complaints, including on social media that stressed on the massive congestion and even sought surprise check by the union minister at the airport in the national capital.

Traffic marshals were posted at the departure forecourt to avoid vehicular congestion, officials said. The officials said there were 16 entry gates at T3 (14 for passengers and two for crew). Two additional gates have been opened up and now there are total 18 gates (16 for passengers + 2 for crew).

Officials said an analysis of the manpower requirements at immigration counters will be undertaken immediately, and if need be, additional manpower will be deployed.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday paid a surprise visit to the airport and inspected all the suspected congested areas and interacted with the airport staff.

Scindia in an exclusive interview with ANI noted that steps were being taken to ensure ease of travel for air passengers.

"Today we've increased the number of entry gates from 14 to 16. There was a meeting with officials inside the airport where we've decided that a signboard should be placed at every entry gate displaying the waiting time before entry," Jyotiraditya Scindia told ANI.