Arrival gates at both terminals of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) are chaotic at times, and flyers are pointing a finger at the disorganised state of the app-based taxi pick-up zones, especially at Terminal 1, said our report.
There are no dedicated lanes for different app-based cab operators as in other major airports. Even if your taxi driver has entered the parking area, they can’t reach the front because of other vehicles halting there, a frequent flyer has been cited in the report.
While Terminal 2 does have a designated zone for ride-hailing services, there is room for improvement. Many passengers are now opting for pre-paid taxis despite their higher fares, simply to avoid the exhausting wait and confusion. The wait time for app-based cabs ranges from five to 40 minutes, with long queues, honking, and frayed tempers.
One has to take into account that flyers are on edge after flights, so it is entirely likely that many situations are going to degenerate into verbal altercations and even escalate into fights.
There has to be a concerted effort to rectify this and have a more organised method for flyers booking cabs to reach their destinations.
It needs to go back to the drawing board when it comes to the arrivals side of the airport terminals and planning how exactly to decongest that space for a smoother experience.
One option may be separate lanes for app-based cabs. Yet, space may be a problem, so a different exit point can also be one more option. The point is to separate passengers choosing different conveyance modes to move out of the airport so that there is more clarity and less confusion.
Cab drivers, too, are losing their cool as they remain stranded behind long queues of vehicles. Those in charge need to start looking at detangling this web.