Passengers at Pune Airport have expressed significant frustration due to the non-functional air-conditioning (AC) system in the old terminal building for the past three days.
With daily foot traffic exceeding 30,000 passengers, the situation has exacerbated the discomfort, especially during the peak summer travel season. Social media platforms, particularly X (formerly Twitter), have been flooded with complaints from irate passengers. The prolonged AC failure has turned the terminal into an uncomfortable environment, amplifying the heat and humidity levels, much to the dismay of travellers. One passenger’s post highlighted the temporary measure taken by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) – a standing fan plugged in as a substitute for the malfunctioning AC, a solution that many found inadequate and indicative of the airport’s mismanagement.
On Wednesday, a furious Meghana Behere shot out at the Airport Authority of India (AAI) administration saying, “No AC at Pune Airport. Over the years, you guys have ignored the passengers and now you want to ‘cook’ them in the May summer!”
Anindya Roy Choudhury, who was waiting to board his flight to Kolkata, said, “Presently at Pune Airport waiting to board Indigo flight number 6E6561 from Pune to Kolkata. The AC system in the entire airport is down. It’s a pathetic state of affairs with hundreds of passengers inside a closed airport without any ventilation. The matter needs urgent attention.”
The timing of this breakdown coincides with the summer vacation period, which sees a surge in passenger traffic. This only adds to the woes of the passengers who already endure long waits and crowded conditions. The lack of a timely resolution has led to increasing dissatisfaction, with many questioning the airport’s infrastructure maintenance and crisis management capabilities.
The AC failure at Pune Airport underscores the critical need for robust maintenance protocols and effective contingency planning to ensure passenger comfort and satisfaction. As the complaints continue to mount, it remains to be seen how quickly and effectively the AAI administration will address and resolve this issue to restore normalcy and passenger comfort.
Santosh Dhoke, Pune Airport director, told the media, “The 11 KV electricity supply of the Pune Airport old terminal building has been disturbed since the last few days due to which the ‘chiller plant’ of our terminal building has stopped working. We have called for an expert team to repair this system and by this evening, the chiller plant will start. We assure passengers of better services”.
