Mumbai Airport Chaos: Many pictures were shared on social media.
Chaos unfolded this morning at the Mumbai airport which saw a massive rush of passengers who got stuck in long queues with many missing flights. Domestic carrier IndiGo advised passengers "to report early to allow sufficient time for security check".
Airport authorities attributed the sudden rush of passengers today to the "festive season". "Similar experiences have also been witnessed in other city airports of the country. Further owing to recent intelligence reports received by stakeholders and threat at another airport in the state, security measures have been further enhanced at the CSMIA (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport). The security and safety of our passengers are of utmost priority and our endeavor is to continue to not compromise on these critical aspects. CSMIA airport has deployed additional staff for a quicker turnaround at all the security checkpoints for a smoother passenger experience," the Mumbai airport said in a statement.
Unhappy passengers vented on social media. "T2 AT CSMIA (Mumbai Airport) is a shambles. Literally feels like we're in the dark ages. Endless milling crowds, machines breaking down, tempers frayed, chaos everywhere. Staff doing their best but absolutely unable to cope. Who runs this absolute shitshow? Please tag them. (sic)," composer and singer Vishal Dadlani tweeted.
While some people mentioned that Covid protocols were violated in the midst of huge rush, the CSMIA in its statement said: "Additionally, the CSMIA is following all the Covid protocols laid down by the Government to ensure a smoother transition. CSMIA regrets the inconvenience caused to any passengers and is offering them all the support required. In addition, in keeping with the growing increase of passenger traffic and to ensure a seamless service experience, CSMIA has planned to open Terminal 1 operations from 20th October, 2021."
Sharing a photo, Prakarsh Gagdani, CEO of fintech firm 5paisa.com, said, "Mumbai Airport is a mess. It takes at least 1 hr to enter and do check-in and then this crowd for security check. How can someone board a flight even reaching 2 1/2 hrs before domestic flight. This is the real commercial capital of the country. (sic)".
IndiGo tweeted a request to its passengers: "#6ETravelAdvisory: Heavy rush at #Mumbai and #Chennai Airport. Passengers are advised to report early to allow sufficient time for security check."