Facilities, Services And Reviews Of Mumbai International Airport:

August 15, 2017

Mumbai International Airport is also known as the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport as well as Sahar International Airport. Being the primary international airport, it serves its services to Mumbai Metropolitan Area.

The airport is also the second busiest in India after the Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport in terms of total and international passenger traffic. The airport holds the 14^th position when it comes to know the busiest airport of Asia and 29^th in the world.

In the year 2016, the airport supports more than 44.68 million passengers. In the session 2016-17 only, the passenger traffic at the airport crossed 45 million. In addition to that, the airport also considers the 2^nd busiest in terms of cargo traffic.

Talking about the awards and honors that the airport holds, it won the ASQ Best Airport Award in the year 2015 for the category of 25-40 million passengers traffic per annum. It also won the Skytrax World Airport Awards in the year 2016 for the “Best Airport in India and Central Asia”.

The name of the airport is derived from the name of the 17th-century Maratha emperor ‘Chhatrapati Shivaji’. It was renamed as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, by adding the word “Maharaj” in the end.

TERMINALS INFORMATION:

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport has two main passenger terminal complexes. It mainly has 2 terminals:

Terminal 1: For domestic passengers
Terminal 2: It is an integrated terminal catering to both international and domestic passengers.

Discuss In Brief:

Terminal 1:

The Terminal 1 is used for domestic flights. This building was initially used for international and domestic operations and was refurbished several times over the decades. The terminal is used by SpiceJet, GoAir and IndiGo and it supports 11 passenger boarding bridges in total. MIAL, Mumbai International Airport Limited renamed the T1B to T1 in the year 2017 in order to help the fliers identify it easily.

Terminal 2:

Mumbai International Airport terminal 2 is spread over an area of 210,000 square meters and has replaced the previous demolished International Terminal. It is a X-shaped terminal which has a total floor area of 450,000 square meters across four floors. It handles both domestic as well as international passengers and includes new taxiways which are designed to cater 40 million passengers annually.

The terminal has more than 5,000 square meters of landscaping and a multi level car park which can support 5,000 cars at a time. Along with that, it also has 192 check-in counters and 60 immigration counters for departing passengers. For arriving travelers, it has 76 immigration counters too. The building also supports 48 escalators and 75 elevators.

At the Terminal 2, passengers can easily enjoy the services of luxurious lounges and on the other hand it also has a library, numerous fine-dining options, and a business centre. Travelers all around the world can also enjoy facilities like smoking zone, Food and Beverage, bar, luxury spa, shower area and a relaxation area. The luxury lounge at the airport has also won the title of ‘World’s Leading Airport Lounge – First Class 2015’ award at the World Travel Awards 2015.

AIRPORT HOTELS:

If you want to sleep at the Mumbai Airport, then you need to know the following number of hotels located near the airport:

MUMBAI AIRPORT LOUNGES:

MUMBAI AIRPORT SERVICES & FACILITIES:

Art at the Airport:

Passengers can easily admire the culturally-rich artworks which are on display throughout the airport.

ATMs / Cash Machines:

If you are worried about the ATMs machine facilities at the airport, then you don’t need to. These are easily available in T1 Departures and Arrivals areas of the airport.

Children’s Play Area:

A colorful jungle-themed indoor playground is available for children ages 2 – 12. Location: T2, airside, Level 3 Hours and is open 24 hours.

Currency Exchange:

It is always preferable to carry the currency in the country which you are traveling but in case you can’t, then there is availability of currency exchange at the Mumbai Airport.

At Terminal 1:

Pheroze Framroze (Departures)
Centrum (Arrivals)

At Terminal 2:

Centrum (Departures Level 4 and Arrivals Levels 1 and 2)
VKC (Arrivals Level 2)

Duty-Free & Shopping:

Passengers can also enjoy the duty-free shopping at the Terminal 2 at both Mumbai airport international departures as well as Arrivals sections. They can buy numerous kind of stuff from a wide variety of retail shops throughout the terminals.

Food & Drinks Facility:

Passengers can enjoy a number of food options throughout the airport. These options are open 24 hours a day:

At Terminal 1:

24×7 Lounge (Arrivals)
AMPM (Mumbai airport departures Gate 1)

At Terminal 2 International Departures:

The Beer Cafe along with the coffee shop inside which is available 24 hours a day.

Luggage Storage & Lockers:

Passengers can also avail the luggage locker facility at the airport. This facility is available in all the terminals with the storage period of up to 90 days. You can store your luggage in the Domestic terminal and can also retrieve it over in International, or vice versa by paying a certain fee per bag for up to six hours of storage. For certain oversized items, you need to pay additional charges.

Medical Services:

There is also the availability of emergency medical care facilities at the airport which is available 24 hours a day in the airport’s Medical Inspection rooms.

The locations of the medical facilities are as follow:

T1, Ground Floor, opposite MI gate (staff gate)
T2, airside, near Gate 46.

Post Office:

You can also avail the postal service at the airport which is available in the following locations:

T1, opposite Sahara Star Hotel
T2, landside, Arrivals exit

Prayer Rooms:

There is also the availability of Prayer rooms at the Mumbai domestic airport at the following locations:

T2, landside, Level 3 (use the escalators at the far east and west ends of Level 4 Departures)
T2, airside, Level 4, Gate 47
T2, Airside, Domestic Departures, opposite Gates 43 and 86.

Smoking:

Smoking rooms are also there at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport in the following locations:

Terminal 1B, landside, Gates 1 and 2 of the check-in area
Terminal 1B, Arrivals Hall
Terminal 1C, airside, Gates A6 and A7
Terminal 1C, airside, opposite Gate A3
T2, airside, Level 4 – retail area
T2/International, airside, Level 4 – near Gate 68
T2/Domestic, airside, Level 3 – retail area
T2, landside, Level 2 – near baggage belts 1, 2, 5 and 12.

Spa & Salon Services:

Passengers can easily remove their tiredness at the airport only by availing the extensive services of at Heaven on Earth Spa. Here you can enjoy the express foot reflexology as well as full body treatments. It is located in all terminals including 1B, 1C, T2 Domestic, International Arrivals and International Departures.

Airport Transportation:

Bus:

There are a number of buses which serve the airport along with the private buses. If you are new at the airport, then you can get all the bus information at the Information Desks located in the Arrivals areas of each terminal.

Car Rentals:

At the international airport Mumbai, the Akbar Travels provides the car rental services on Level 1 of the International Terminal. Along with that, the Mauli Enterprises also offer the car rental services in the Arrivals area of Domestic Terminal 1A.

Taxi:

Choosing a licensed taxi or a prepaid taxi service is also a good option for transportation at the airport to reach the city from the airport.

Train:

At the airport, there are three different railway lines that reach to almost all parts of the city and the suburbs. These are the Western Line, the Central Main Line, and the Harbour Line. These stations can be reached from the airport by bus, taxi or auto-rickshaw and trains from these two stations can be used to reach other parts of the country.

Mumbai Airport Pictures:

Mumbai Airport Reviews:

Following are the reviews of Mumbai International Airport:

S Sankar:

I flew on BA to London with a young family on the 2.30am departure. The terminal building is simply stunning from both the outside. The ceiling and columns are mind-blowing. BA Silver status enabled sofa check-in whereby all paperwork is carried out whilst seated away from the crowds on a quiet sofa. This then led to a separate business class security check and immigration. Upon entering the duty-free area it is like any of the top airports in the world with an impressive variety of shops restaurants bars boutiques and bars – all neatly laid out. The signage and announcements are very clear and precise – it sounds like they hired the same lady who announces in Heathrow T5. What set the airport apart was the stunning Indian artwork – great to see India showcasing indigenous art and culture and adding a personal touch when compared to the many bland and functional airports around the world. The GVK lounge is shared and has more than enough comfy seats a wide variety of local and imported alcohol as well as Indian and international food. The walk to the gate was smooth – our kids didn’t wake up at all through the whole airport experience – testimony to what a smooth experience departing from Mumbai is today. Another world from what it used to be!

S Sheth:

Only seen in the pictures before we landed at CSIA on March 31st. I couldn’t believe that the terminal actually looks much better than in the pictures. Excellent facilities and a very neat and clean airport. Were out of immigration customs and baggage claim areas in less than 30 minutes! Departure on April 21st was even smoother. Overall, it was a very pleasant experience.

Sukhbir Bolina:

Mumbai is an airport that has character and personality. It has all the amenities of a western airport. Clean washrooms, excellent shopping, and food options are all there. And being in India, it is very Indian in architecture and feels. Truly an exceptional airport – I enjoyed both my arrival and departure as both were smooth and without any issues at all.

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