The Chennai airport has come up with an initiative that will facilitate air passengers to check in their luggage at Metro rail stations, which has a great demand among airport-bound commuters.
A meeting on the initiative was convened by Chennai Airport Director Dr Sharad Kumar recently in which the officials from Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) and representatives of airlines, including IndiGo, Air India, and Vistara airlines participated.
According to the officials, the facility is aimed to ease the passenger rush before flight departure and help in reducing the burden on airport staff and passengers.
“Once implemented, the passengers will be issued their boarding pass as soon as they check in their luggage at the counter at the selected Metro station,” said a statement from the airport.
It was added that the airlines have conveyed their interest in the proposal and a few like IndiGo are also considering adding a ‘check-in at’ option (airport/metro station) on their online booking website so that prior information is captured and sure-footed steps can be necessitated on the ground to provide a seamless experience to travellers.
Post the feasibility study, necessary checks, and mandatory clearances and approvals from authorities, the initiative is likely to be put on trial in March and is expected to be rolled out in a full-fledged manner in April.
Further, it was said that the new measure will reduce the congestion in arterial roads of the city leading to the airport and contribute hugely to reduced carbon footprints as airport-bound passengers are more likely to opt for Metro train check-ins. This, according to the officials, is a huge step towards preserving the environment.
The authorities are planning to extend this facility to more Metro rail stations in the city based on the demand from passengers.
