Noida flights start, but passenger convenience at airport still work in progress

Noida: The airport is now live, but it’s far from the finished piece. This was was evident on Monday. For passengers and visitors, the excitement of witnessing India’s newest airport was quickly attenuated by a string of inconveniences: bad food, patchy WiFi, non-functional vending machines and no personnel outside the terminal to guide arrivals.For some, the troubles began before they even reached the airport. Several visitors said navigation apps directed them to nearby Kishorepur village instead of the terminal, forcing most to retrace the 5km route. Transport options were scarce. Ride-hailing apps either displayed long waiting times or failed to assign cabs altogether.Akhay Malhotra, headed to Amritsar, said connectivity was a major concern. “The cabs are expensive.

I was told there’s a bus service from Botanical Garden, but the next one was scheduled much later. A cab became the only practical option,” he said.Near arrivals, Yogesh and Neetu Sharma stood outside the only operational food outlet, Flying Bites. While the menu listed croissants, sandwiches and wraps, only coffee and rolls were available. “The facilities are not what one would expect at this price point,” Yogesh said.

A worker at the stall added that systems were still being set up and only cash and card payments were being accepted.Mohammad Rashid, who had come to drop off his daughter travelling to Lucknow, eventually gave up on the airport WiFi. “The network was weak. I had to switch to mobile data just to reach her on WhatsApp,” he said.Finding basic amenities proved challenging too. At one of the two vending kiosks near the terminal, Ajit Yadav attempted to buy water only to receive a refund notice.

Two maintenance workers repeatedly tried to restart the machine. One worker, requesting anonymity, admitted the problem had resurfaced multiple times during the day despite attempts to fix it.Visitors also pointed to the absence of washrooms outside the terminal. Saroj Devi, a resident of Rohi village, said she searched in vain for one while waiting to drop off a relative. “If the airport is so big, there should be a washroom for visitors as well,” she said.Airport officials acknowledged the issues as part of the challenges of launching a major infrastructure project. A senior NIA official said additional facilities were in the pipeline. “Washroom facilities for visitors will be ready within two weeks. More food outlets will open soon,” the official said.On the navigation problem, Christoph Schnellmann, vice president of NIA, said the operator had already written to Google requesting a correction to the misdirected maps. “These are initial hiccups and we are trying to fix all the problems at the earliest,” he said.