Airports are a defining feature of any country or city, and the New Delhi’s Airport in India certainly embodies the recent economic progress of India. I recently flew from Kathmandu to Delhi on Kingfisher Airlines, my first flight into Delhi’s newly renovated airport, and I was taken aback by the difference in what it is and what it used to be.
The centerpiece of this infrastructure is the new Terminal 3 (T3), from where most international flights operate. When I arrived at T3, I was thinking to myself that by looking at the airport I could have been in any world city and in any world class airport.
Obviously a little chaos still exists once you get outside the airport, but it is only a fraction of what it used to be. With flights coming in from all over the world, including direct flight from major cities in North America, the Delhi airport has truly become an international hub for travelers.
A Small Inconvenience
I must note the one inconvenience at the Delhi airport—the boarding gates are far away. It took me around 15-20 minutes to get to the boarding gate from the security-check and check-in area. Next time you are travelling through Delhi, it would be helpful to keep this in mind. What makes this worse is the duty-free shops, which are excellent, is on the way from the check-in area to the boarding gate. So if you are running late, you should avoid the temptation to stop by one of the many stores in the duty free area.
What it means for travelers to Nepal?
For travelers to Nepal, connecting through Delhi has always been a convenient option. However, people are still wary to travel through India, as many complain of unnecessary harassment and inconveniences. I can’t comment on the general level of service at the Delhi airport. But as for my personal experience, I can say that I had no problems getting in and out. The airline representatives were especially very friendly and professional. It is very easy to see why Kingfisher is a 5-star airline.
Of course the Delhi airport has room for improvement like every other airport and I am confident that the airport management in Delhi is doing everything it can to be one of the best. All in all, I would say that the improvement from the last time I visited has been remarkable, and hopefully in the near future it can improve by paying further attention to details and provide service at the level of the best airports in the world like the Singapore Airport.
