About Mumbai Airport
Mumbai Airport is also known as the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM).
As the name suggests, the Airport is located in Mumbai, India’s financial capital.
The Chhatrapati Shivaji International (CSI) Airport is one of the largest aviation hubs in the country.
It attracts a large number of visitors from around the world and is the second busiest airport in India. The Delhi Airport is the busiest.
(Walkthrough Mumbai Airport (BOM) | CSIA)
Terminals
One USP of the Mumbai Airport is that it has separate locations for the domestic and international terminals.
While the domestic terminal is located in Santacruz, the international terminal is located in Andheri.
Historically, aviation operations used to be conducted from the Juhu Aerodrome. ‘
In 1942, the Santacruz airport was built to accommodate the growing needs of the passengers.
An additional terminal was constructed at Andheri in order to meet the air traffic requirements.
The terminal at Andheri was earlier known as the Sahar International Airport.
In 1999, it was renamed Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport to honour the famous Maratha King.
The Santacruz terminal has three terminals named Terminal 1A, Terminal 1B and Terminal 1C.
All domestic arrivals and departures take place from the Santacruz Terminal.
Terminal 2 at Sahar/ Andheri is used for arrivals and departures of international flights.
(T2 – Where Dreams Take Flight)
Awards
Mumbai Airport has won many prestigious awards for its modern infrastructure and excellent passenger service.
In 2015, it was awarded the Vasundhara Award for its role in environmental conservation. The Platinum A Design Award was also awarded in 2015 for the architectural excellence.
In fact, Terminal 2 is India’s first-ever vertical passenger terminal and is renowned globally for its impressive, state-of-the-art architectural design.
Flight Information
Mumbai Airport is connected to a number of domestic as well as international destinations.
Passenger flights are available to as many as 47 Indian cities including New Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Udaipur and Rajkot.
The domestic routes attracting the most passenger traffic are Mumbai to New Delhi and Mumbai to Bengaluru.
In addition, the airport offers flight services to 43 overseas locations such as London, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Cairo, Singapore and Paris, amongst others. Popular international routes include Mumbai to Dubai and Mumbai to Singapore.
Airlines
The airlines operating from Mumbai reads like a who’s who.
Apart from the domestic airlines like Air India, Go Air, SpiceJet, and IndiGo, there are 40 international airlines that operate at the CSI Airport including Bangkok Airways, British Airways, Emirates and Lufthansa, to name only a few.
(Know Your Favourite Airport Better)
Conveyance facilities
Mumbai Airport is very convenient for passengers because of the several accessible transport facilities.
There are a large number of car rentals and fleet owners who offer services at both the terminals of the airport.
Pre-paid taxis and radio cabs are also available.
There is also no dearth of cheap public transport for commuting in Mumbai.
BEST buses, metered black-and-yellow taxis and auto-rickshaws are easily available near the airport.
The suburban local train network also provides excellent connectivity to the suburban areas.
There is also metro train connectivity available.
Inter terminal transfers
Passengers desiring to commute from one terminal to another are entitled to avail of the free shuttle service provided by the Mumbai Airport authorities.
The inter-Terminal transfer service for transit passengers is provided by AC buses that ply between the terminals throughout the day at short intervals.
Passenger services and facilities
Mumbai Airport provides a large number of essential services in order to ensure that passengers have a comfortable experience.
There are several lounges such as the Pranaam GVK Lounge, CIP Lounge, and Loyalty Lounge at the international terminal and the Carnations Lounge at the domestic one.
Passengers travelling with children can avail of the special childcare rooms and baby strollers at all the terminals.
Passengers requiring medical assistance are also cared for by the paramedic staff who are available to cater to medical emergencies.
Unaccompanied minors can be looked after by trained staff.
Free wheelchair services are available for passengers with special needs.
There are also facilities such as prayer rooms, postal and telecommunication services, baggage trolleys and wrapping services, ATMs, free Wi-Fi, and foreign exchange counters for international travelers available.
There are several information desks manned by trained airport staff placed across the airport to aid passengers.
Art gallery, SPA
Mumbai Airport is home to the Jay He Art Wall at Terminal 2. It boasts of art work from several accomplished artistes.
There are also professional SPA services available exclusively for passengers.
Here is no dearth of shopping outlets for passengers who have the urge to go shopping. A large number of handicrafts and artifact items are available for purchase.
(GVK CSIA Mumbai – Jaya He – The story of Mumbai’s T2 Art Program)
Hotel accommodation at the airport
Passengers who desire to stay in Mumbai City can book hotel rooms from the airport itself. The service is available at the domestic Terminal 1B and international Terminal 2.
There are several well known hotels near the airport such as Hotel Transit, The Orchid, and Bawa International.
Mumbai city’s attractions
There is no dearth of attractions in Mumbai, the City of Dreams.
Mumbai boasts of a wide range of commercial attractions like shopping and nightlife, to Bollywood attractions.
It also has historical sites like the Gateway of India.
The other popular attractions include The Juhu Beach, Sanjay Gandhi National Park, and Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagri, also known as Film City, where one can see several Bollywood superstars shooting their latest movie or TV serials.