Difficult to write a polite review for any of the larger airports in India, really. But what the heck, let me at least try :-). I have been passing through both terminals of Santa Cruz since about 1992 and through Sahar since 2001 (that was when I started living in Mumbai). But, then let’s stick to the former for this review.
Relatively speaking :
Let me start with saying that it would be unfair to compare the airport to other international airports of the advanced world and certainly grossly unfair if I compare it with Chicago O’Hare (my home airport for quite a while), JFK, LHR (London Heathrow), Singapore (SIN) or any other large hub airport. Let us compare it against Indian larger airports and perhaps airports like Phoenix, Newark, and La Guardia type of airports.
Structure: **
Nothing too different from the usual structure that one gets to see, separate terminals. Some airlines get separate terminals of their own, depending on whose hub it is and who flies more number of flights. But in India, its more might is right and thus Indian Airlines gets a separate terminal and the newer one. So, there is less of a fish market kind of a situation in the newer terminal rather than in the older private airlines terminal. Though the latter has started getting a facelift.
Approach to airport: *
Sorry, this really sucks. Mumbai is the land of tall buildings and shanties. Would have really appreciated the taller buildings than the shanties all around the airport. It’s a disgusting sight when you are coming in to land at Mumbai. If its your first time, there goes your impression about Mumbai, down the flush in two minutes. Even the approach to Calcutta (sorry, Kolkata) seems better.
Its not much better if one tries to get to the airport by road either. The WE highway is unpredictable at best and there is always a police check post next to the Centaur hotel for God only knows what reason. The check post remains on whether its rush hour or not, whether the cops around are interested or not. Unfair, I think.
Getting away from airport: ***
Flying away from BOM isn’t too bad because in less than 15 secs, you are flying over the sea and it looks fairly nice below (of course if there is no haze, which is a rarity these days).
Even by road, getting out of the road is a better deal, though slightly confusing for the first timer. The road need not have been looped around all across.
Convenience: *
A rather poor rating here. The rest rooms are not the cleanest in the world. I have not found a pre-paid taxi booth yet in the airport. Before you jump on me, let me clarify, I do not mean the private pre paid booth. I am referring to the regular black and yellow taxis.
Also if you take a taxi from the airport, the driver remains quiet initially but when you reach your destination, wants more money...evidently because he has been waiting for more than 10 hours in the queue. I usually give somewhat more, but the point is why should the taxi driver have to wait that long? Obviously the demand for taxis is not that high. Stupid and insensitive airport administration.
The cars can’t really come in next to the exit. What happens if there is a handicapped person wanting to get to a car? How come only the VIP cars can get right next to the arrival hall?
In the old terminal for departure, you can also buy tickets etc for all the airlines. However, if you have someone in the car waiting for you, it becomes trouble because the cops would want you to move the car. The parking spots are far away, across the road and takes ages for one to retrieve the car from there. There of course is a more convenient parking near both arrivals for Rs 80/- which I end up using.
The boards which announce arrivals are inadequate since they do not have space to display status of more than 5-6 flights (in the older terminal). Very often flights do not even show up as it happened recently when my woman was traveling back on Sahara’s 10th anniversary flight. The flight number never showed up.
Security: ***
This is not too bad actually. However the security folk, including the CISF people are rather unaware of this world. I get hassled each time I carry my camera equipment. It goes through X-ray more than once, each time. It gets opened twice and I have to take everything out to show. Admitted that not too many people carry that kind or amount of equipment either.
There is no chance of getting film hand examined. They insist on X-raying it, in spite of telling them that one might be carrying faster film. No comprehension.
But then again its better than say Aurangabad, where I know of one person whose waist pack did not get checked and it carried a Swiss army knife, though accidentally. Or even Jodhpur where one of the cops was drunk and people are allowed to carry batteries and pen knives.
Food inside: **
The departure halls, after security clearance need food stalls. Just tea and soft drinks is not enough. Too often, flight delay announcements are made after you have cleared security and you end up waiting for hours and remain hungry.
The food otherwise, in the snack counters (like in the rest of our country) is way expensive, though I have ended up eating it.
Thank heavens that there are regular restaurants around. However, one really could do with a coffee shop in the terminals, like Coffee Day has at IGIA-IA. Coffee Day guys listening?
Entertainment:
Zero, none. TV sets do not help. There has got to be more. One these days does expect internet terminals.
People: **
Indifferent people at best. CISF folk are more like country bumpkins and unaware. Indian Airlines folk try to help when they can. Sahara starts with a funny ’Sahara Pranam’. Jet seems to throw some attitude to some people. Hope they don’t end up doing that with me, for their sake actually.
ATC:
This is another low rated thing. The frequency of aircraft clearance is the pits. One runway, very few aircraft and they struggle. There are near misses, and once very recently I almost landed on another aircraft on the runway. Places like La Guardia manage to land air craft on two cross runways with ease, and I don’t remember a mishap there.
Overall: **
No offence meant, but can’t figure how any one in the right mind can like this airport. Unless of course, this is the only airport one has seen.