Chennai, June 9:
Chennai Airport is planning to introduce 10 luxury transit suites in its upcoming Terminal 3 to offer star hotel-like facilities for passengers in transit.
The initiative comes in response to the steady rise in international transit traffic, with travellers from southern India and abroad using Chennai as a connecting hub for destinations across Europe, the UAE, Germany, Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka.
Airport authorities said transit passengers often face long layovers, sometimes exceeding 12 hours, due to visa and immigration restrictions that prevent them from leaving the airport. At present, the airport lacks adequate rest facilities for such passengers.
Earlier plans to develop a full-fledged hotel within the airport premises were reportedly dropped due to security considerations. In its place, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has decided to create compact luxury suites within Terminal 3 to improve passenger comfort during long waiting hours.