Chennai International Airport – A Detailed Guide

Chennai International Airport, or what was earlier known as Madras Airport, is a marvellous piece of benign infrastructure, itself representing a flamboyant masterpiece in real-estate. It is optimally located in the Kanchipuram district of Tamil Nadu. It is among the fourth most-busiest airports in India after Delhi and Mumbai, keeping the people entertained by serving them up top flights alongside premium services in every case. 

But, if you want to get yourself more intrigued, below is the article that will pique your interest in every way and leave you more famished.

So, without further ado! Let’s get right into it.

About Chennai International Airport

Chennai International Airport is one of the crucial international airports crucially placed in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, to cater to the city and its metropolitan area. It is situated 20 km away in the southwest direction of the city centre. This airport has been ranked third among the busiest airports serving international traffic. The Tirusulam train station of the Chennai Suburban Railway system and the airport metro station of the Chennai Metro both provide service to the Chennai International Airport. 

Albeit being the crowd and traffic, the authorities have taken up the task of to cater for them with utmost ease by developing two new terminals in which one terminal is going to be satellite-based. This will again make Chennai International Airport be the sole airport across India that has a satellite-based airport. But, seeing the urge of people to use it to and fro and the heavy rush, it became a necessity of the hour to pass a new model for a second airport nearby, keeping Chennai International Airport fully operational. The international and domestic terminals were the first to be located next to one another at Chennai International Airport in India. It was created by the Indian architecture firm Creative Group.

Where does Ownership of Chennai International Airport Lie?

Chennai International Airport is owned by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, a central ministry directly under the control of the Government of India. The ministry is directly responsible for developing and implementing plans for the urgent development and growth of civil aviation in India. But the sole operator for airports across the country is the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Every year, AAI takes a number of actions to provide the utmost comfort and ultramodern amenities. For security reasons, the authority oversees services, including freight and customs.

How Can Someone Reach Chennai International Airport?

After that, you have learned a little about Chennai International Airport; it’s high time to introduce ways to reach the airport. You can always book a cab or taxi from the city to the airport, which merely takes 50-60 minutes in terms of travel time. You can also opt for public transport by reaching out to the bus stand and boarding a bus that will take you directly to the airport. You can also use the metro, for which a free shuttle connects the metro with Chennai International Airport. Although there is no direct connectivity between the airport and railways, you can always choose the nearest Tirusulam railway station, which is just 2 km from the airport. 

Terminals

Earlier the airport used to accumulate four terminals, but after merger and expansion, a total of three terminals are now currently operated, namely Terminal 1, Terminal 3 and Terminal 4.

Terminal 1

Before the opening of the International “Anna” Terminal in 1988, the domestic terminal at Chennai Airport, commonly referred to as the Kamaraj Terminal, served as the only passenger terminal. Using this terminal, travellers can go to 20 different domestic locations in India from Chennai International Airport. Domestic arrivals and departures are accommodated there.

Terminal 3

After the inauguration of the domestic terminal known as Kamaraj Terminal, Chennai Airport Terminal 3, also known as Anna Terminal, was constructed in 1988. It serves well for international flights and passengers. More than 20 international locations are connected to Chennai through Terminal 3.

Terminal 4

The newest international terminal of Chennai Airport, Terminal 4, began accepting passengers in the latter part of 2017. The departure point for all international flights is Terminal 4. It is anticipated that this terminal will soon serve as the hub for all international activities. (Terminal 3 will change to a domestic terminal once the new integrated terminal is finished.)

Facilities 

Chennai International Airport caters to its passengers with the following mentioned facilities:

• Information Counter
• Tourist and Railway Information Booth
• Currency exchange
• Lost & Found
• Vending Machines
• Duty Free
• Shops
• Luggage carts
• Restaurants and bars
• Security check

Statistics

• Chennai International Airport has occupied 1323 acres of land, including all three terminals(1,3,4).
• The domestic and international terminals separately occupy land areas of almost 1.8 km²  and 1.5 km². 
• 48 check-in desks are located in the 19,250 m2 (207,200 sq ft) Kamaraj domestic terminal.
• With 45 check-in desks, 38 immigration counters—16 at the departure terminal and 22 at the arrival terminal—and 18 customs counters—2 at the departure terminal and 16 at the arrival terminal—the Anna international terminal has a total floor area of 42,870 m2 (461,400 sq ft).
• There are two entry gates in each airport’s two terminals, totalling four.
• There are 5 X-ray baggage facilities at the domestic terminal, while there are 2 at the international terminal.
• 60 concessions, including duty-free retail stores, restaurants, snack bars, and executive lounges, occupy 3,250 sq m of retail space at the current domestic and international terminals.
• Six boarding gates are located on the first floor of the Anna international terminal.
• There are 9 boarding gates in the Kamaraj domestic terminal, 6 on the first floor.
• The 411-metre-long taxiway M on the southern side of the airport, which was completed in March 2017 and can accommodate 36 aircraft movements per hour, is one of the 24 taxiways at the airport. To prevent flight delays, the airport started cross-runway operations in January 2018, increasing aircraft movements from 36 to 42 per hour.
• There are two runways at Chennai Airport: the 3,662 m (12,014 ft) long major runway No. 07/25 (orientated northeast-southwest) and the 2,925 m (9,596 ft) long subsidiary runway No. 12/30. (North-west – South-east orientation).
• As of 2018, the airport’s current parking lot can hold 1,200 vehicles. At both ends of the Airport Metro Rail station in front of the airport, on a 4.25-acre plot, a multi-level car park valued at 2,500 million and capable of holding 2,237 vehicles was planned in June 2018.
• The older Terminal 3 is used for international arrivals, Terminal 1 is used for domestic flights, and Terminal 4 is used for international departures. Cargo operations take place at the former terminal in Meenambakkam.
• As per the data from 2010, a total of 12 million passengers landed and boarded the flight right from Chennai International Airport, which almost reached 23 million between 2019-2020. This shows rapid growth and occupies a good population strength as it entertains all international and domestic flights. 

Top Attractions near Chennai International Airport

You can make your layover or even visit quite intriguing by visiting these places and getting a memorable trip on your side:

• St.Thomas Mount National Shrine
• Semmozhi Poonga
• Valluvar Kottam
• Arignar Anna Zoological Park
• Besant Nagar Beach
• Government Museum
• Marina Beach
• MGR Memorial
• Arulmigu Kapaleeswarar Thirukovil
• Pancha Rathas

Cities near Chennai International Airport

The top cities mentioned below lie within a radius of 24 kms with Chennai International Airport:

• Pallavaram
• Kottivakkam
• Alandur
• Nerkundram
• Tambaram
• Avadi
• Vandalur
• Chetpet
• Ambattur
• Tinnanur
• Sriperumbudur
• Madhavaram
• Naravarikuppam

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