COIMBATORE: Following frequent complaints of rude behaviour from parking lot staff, including while collecting fine charges, at the Coimbatore International Airport, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has decided to replace the existing contractor and appoint a new one in the coming months.
Officials of the Coimbatore airport also acknowledged that vehicles staying beyond three minutes inside the terminal building will be charged Rs 500, as it is one of the tender norms set by the AAI and not a rule imposed by the contractor. Most relatives and friends who come to the airport in cars to pick up passengers reportedly get into arguments with parking staff when they demand Rs 500 from them for staying beyond three minutes.
"Most of the disputes flagged are related to the collection of the Rs 500 file while managing the lane inside the terminal building. We are going to remove this clause from the new tender, and the penalty will be handled by AAI, which will take over lane management by hiring manpower on our own. As of now, the area belongs to the car parking contractor as it was a tender norm. In the new tender, it will be removed and the contractor will be confined to the car parking area only," said Mohammed Arif, airport director.
"Within two to three months, the new contractor will be appointed, and the same Rs 500 charge will be collected by AAI if anyone stays beyond three minutes. Our aim is to decongest traffic, not imposing fines," he said.
Responding to passengers' concerns that the Rs 500 fine was high and their demand to increase the existing three-minute limit, the airport director said the AAI would look into the issue within the framework of its policy guidelines.
Reacting to frequent complaints about parking lot staff speaking only in Hindi and ill-treating passengers and car drivers, the airport director said they had already instructed the staff to speak politely, be well-groomed and wear proper uniforms. The official hoped that such behaviour would not continue under the new contract.
"We have already written to the contractor to engage Tamil-speaking staff for fine collection, since the regional language here is Tamil, and they will not force passengers to speak in Hindi," Arif added.