City airport to get a restaurant, lounge in both terminals

Soon, Amdavadis flying out of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPI) will be served piping hot food at each terminal. Filling the long pending requirement, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has decided to bring a restaurant and a business lounge, at both terminals.

Confirming the same, Guruprasad Mohapatra, Chairman, AAI said, "There was no restaurant at Ahmedabad airport serving hot food and we have been getting requests for quite some time. Hence, we decided to bring a restaurant and a business lounge at both terminals – international and domestic this year. We will be soon issuing the bidding process and have decided to restrict the bidding to only local vendors due to pending partial privatisation."

A source from airline said, "We have been writing to the airport operator for the need of a business lounge. Gujarat is a business hub and we have many business class passengers flying in and out of Ahmedabad, especially during the Vibrant Gujarat Summit. Business class passengers are charged more than economy and if they do not get that feeling at the terminal, it is of no use. We are glad that finally such a decision is being taken."

Another source from the airport said, "Business class lounge was long pending. It was kept on hold due to pending partial privatisation tender. Since the partial privatisation involved only the operations and management to be with a private operator and the rest with the AAI, it was unclear whether business lounge will come under AAI or private operator. The bidding process has already been delayed for quite some time so this decision is welcomed."

Interestingly, the Gujarat chapter of the Air Passengers Assocaition of India (APAI) in 2016 had mentioned about the lounge in a draft of recommendations, which was sent to the AAI. It mentioned, "There is not a single table or desk available in the airport for passengers to use. There is a severe paucity of plug points to charge laptops and cell phones. The lounge at the domestic terminal has been out of commission for many months because the tender was delayed, a pathetic excuse which has inconvenienced so many travellers."

WHAT AAI SAID

• There was no restaurant at Ahmedabad airport serving hot food and we have been getting requests for quite some time. Hence, we decided to bring a restaurant and a business lounge