- By Sahelee Rakshit
- Fri, 18 Oct 2024 08:25 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Pune Airport News: In order to manage the anticipated increase in passenger volume at Pune International Airport (PIA) as the Diwali holiday draws near, the Aeromall authority has modified its pick-up plan, according to The Indian Express. The direct pick-up point from the new terminal to the drop-off destinations for every passenger may be one of these modifications.
Last month, the Aeromall administration began a direct pick-up service from the New Integrated Terminal Building (NITB) for pregnant women, senior citizens, and people with disabilities (PWD), allowing them to go directly to their designated drop-off places.
“With the potential rise in passenger numbers during the festival season, this pick-up service may also be extended to benefit other passengers who were previously excluded,” Vice-president of Aeromall, YS Rajput, said.
He stated that, while no major increase in passenger numbers has yet been recorded, the present occupancy rate of roughly 90 percent is likely to grow to 100 percent during the festival season. Additional improvements will be recommended to meet this rise beyond the airport's regular 90 percent occupancy rate.
Rajput said that Aeromall has chosen to bolster its management staff by setting up additional help desks outside Terminal 2 to keep a close eye on traffic.
Changes have also been made to the lift operations to help cut down on wait times and ease mall congestion. According to Rajput, the mall has five elevators: two that can hold 16 people each and three that can hold 30 people apiece.
“We have disabled call buttons for the three 30-passenger lifts on the upper floors, which were primarily used by drivers and Aeromall staff, leading to long wait times for passengers,” he noted.
“To prioritise passenger convenience, we aim at reducing the lift waiting time to under a minute. However, the two 16-passenger lifts will continue operating on all floors for everyone,” Rajput added.
