Chennai Airport (MAA): Smoking in Restrooms and Poor Quality
Last week on Saturday, August 31, 2024, I arrived at the Chennai Airport around 2:50 am. The immigration process was a lot better than what it used to be. The counters have a better look and this is a big saver. Thank you.
Restrooms at Chennai Airport:
After my immigration, I waited by Carousel 8 to pick up my bags. I used the restroom right across Carousel 8 without realizing it was a Staff Toilet. Having traveled to different airports across the world and also across our country, I have not seen a toilet dedicated to Staff. Maybe there are and I did not notice. As I entered the toilet, I could sense the smell of cigarettes. Even though it was a staff toilet, it was not well maintained.
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Cigarette Buds:
First off, I did not know one could smoke in the toilets of the Airport. In one of the rooms in the staff restroom, there were Cigarette buds on an electrical panel. It was frustrating to see this (in a Staff restroom). I am not too sure how to communicate better, however, the pictures here can tell you a thing or two.
I understand that we have improved the overall experience of the airport by building new terminals, upgrading the existing terminals and more. This is visible once you visit the airport. Great work on this. However, I also want to reiterate that the quality is still not there. With our Prime Minister’s vision of being a developed nation, why should we settle for less?
The general perception with people is that Chennai has one of the worst airports in the country. I can tell you that the airports in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore are better by leaps and bounds when it compared to Chennai. (I have visited these airports recently). I understand that Chennai does not have a new airport yet and we are in the works of building a new one. We may still be a few years away. As we are building our new airport, it is important for us to improve the quality of what we have.
1. The restroom quality is one of the worst I have seen. What do we need to do to fix this? Can we work with the vendor we work with and ensure that they deliver great quality? If not, let’s find another vendor. I am not sure if our money is being put to good use here. Let us fix this problem.
2. If you inspect the restrooms, (you could do it) or hire a third party to do this, You will see that the overall quality of the work done is not great. In some cases, the bathroom fittings are not aligned well and you will also see broken tiles. Can you ensure that the quality of work being done is great? How do you ensure quality?
3. Opposite to Carousel 8 on International Arrival, can we open the Staff Toilet and change it as a public restroom? If you would notice, as the passenger arrives, one would have to walk a long way to use the restroom, however the one which is designated as the staff restroom is where the public restrooms need to be.
4. Let’s stop smoking in the restrooms and use only the designated smoking areas.
We love the intent. However, let us also execute. I was recently at the Bengaluru airport and it was a treat. I also used the restrooms there in Bengaluru and it was a different experience. There was someone who was cleaning the restrooms all the time. As you would know, let us not wait for the new airport. It is great that we are working towards building one. Let us fix what we have.
I hope you find this post helpful. Let us support our Prime Minister’s Vision. We love his big thinking and let us support it with execution.
Other posts related to Chennai Airport:
Chennai Airport Restrooms – Water Leaking in the Flush
Chennai Airport Makeover – Thank you and some Frequently Asked Questions
When will Chennai Airport be World Class?
Restrooms @ Anna International, Chennai Airport(MAA)
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