Bajpe Airport in Mangalore, is a very important transit point to millions of people! A few years back it used to be the closest airport not just for the people of Coastal Karnataka but also to people from some parts of Kerala. Since these places have a lot of their people working abroad, the airport served them well, especially since it saved them a tedious journey by road or rail to Mumbai from where they had to catch their international flight.
Sadly though, the airport is very small, and this restricts the number of flights that ply from/to here. It is also one of India’s most dangerous airports, as landing at Bajpe can be a tough job! I’m told that only the very best pilots are assigned on this route. This problem could have been easily solved by a simple expansion project. However, while plans to do this have been on for years, there seems to be some disagreement between the owners of land immediately adjoining the airport’s boundaries, and the State Government. So that is the reason why the airport area can’t be expanded, and hence not more than 2 planes can be accommodated at a time.
While it might be difficult for the AAI (Airports Authority of India) to follow up with the Government about the Expansion Issue, I’m pretty sure that they can do something about the Services in the airport. First of all the parking is disorganized, and the best spots are occupied by taxis, necessitating commuters and their families to trudge long distances after they park their vehicles.
The restaurant is really bad. Though the menu boasts of a lot of items, they take ages to serve you. Sandwiches are the fastest food you will get there, and that too after a wait of 15 minutes or so, and constant reminders! Interacting with airport staff is tedious, and a real hassle! Luckily private airlines who operate in Mangalore have their own staff at the airport, and they are quite polite, caring and courteous – quite the opposite of AI and AAI staff.
On the plus side - the interiors have recently been renovated, and they have done a good job on it. What I liked best about the airport was their bookshop – a Higgin Botham’s outlet, but very well stocked. That was where I picked up one of my favorite books – Og Mandino’s `The Greatest Salesman in the World’.
Here are some statistics
Distance from Mangalore city – 22 km
Airport Code :IXE
Runway Length :5800 ft
Runway Elevation :336 ft.
To conclude, I think the airport has made a genuine effort to upgrade, but the effort is just not enough. If only the service was good, and everything was better organized, it would be a fine little airport.