BENGALURU: What feels worse after a long flight — sitting inside the aircraft or walking for nearly 800 metres with luggage to board a private pre-booked cab? For hundreds of passengers arriving at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) over the past few days, the answer has been unequivocal: the long walk.Bengaluru International Airport Ltd’s newly enforced traffic management and kerbside pick-up policy at Terminal 1 (T1) and Terminal 2 (T2) has triggered widespread frustration among passengers and cab operators alike. Rolled out to curb illegal parking, touting, and congestion outside arrival terminals, the policy allows only airport-authorised aggregator taxis to pick up passengers directly from the kerbside.
All other private pre-booked cabs — including long-distance and outstation taxis — have been shifted to designated pickup zones at parking areas P3 and P4, nearly 800 metres from T1. For tired travellers, the new arrangement often means a 15-17 minute trek after landing, navigating elevated walkways, ramps, long corridors, and multiple elevators — all the while hauling heavy luggage. Senior citizens, parents with young children, and families have been hit the hardest, with many describing the change as insensitive and poorly thought out.At T1, arrivals now face a complex lane system: the first lane is reserved for govt vehicles, the second for airport aggregator taxis, the third to fifth lanes for private white-board vehicles, and the remaining lanes for premium app-based services. While passengers opting for airport taxis can step straight into their vehicles, those who have booked private cabs must make the long walk to reach their drivers. At T2, the issue has taken a different form: a strict time window that many say is nearly impossible to meet.
Monday morning saw visible chaos at both terminals, with confused passengers asking for directions, pre-booked private cab drivers arguing with security personnel, and tempers flaring. Several travellers complained that the policy was implemented without adequate public communication or a transition period. “We landed around noon and were suddenly told our cab couldn’t come anywhere near the terminal. My parents are elderly, and my mother has knee problems. Making them walk nearly a kilometre was extremely stressful,” said Rakesh Sharma, a first-time visitor to Bengaluru from Jaipur who had pre-booked a private cab.Another passenger, Anita Fernandez, who arrived from Goa with her two children, said the experience was exhausting. “After paying airport charges and cab fares, you expect some convenience. Instead, we were made to walk endlessly, with hardly any staff to guide us. For families, this is a nightmare,” she said.Cab operators, especially private and outstation drivers, say the policy has directly affected their livelihoods. Many report passengers cancelling bookings midway and switching to airport taxis simply to avoid the walk. “Passengers are angry and take it out on us, but this isn’t our fault,” said Srinath R, a private cab operator who has serviced KIA for over a decade.At T2, commuters say the pressure is even higher. Drivers must pick up passengers within eight minutes to avoid penalties, turning arrivals into a frantic race against time. “After a three-hour flight from Lucknow, I felt like I was in a sprint just to help my driver avoid a fine,” said Mohammed Irfan, adding: “There was no prior information, no clear signage, and no assistance. An airport arrival should be seamless, not stressful.“Voices from the ground“This is absolutely unacceptable. Not everyone wants to be tied to Bengaluru airport taxis or aggregators, many of us operate independently. Just because BIAL wants to maximise revenue, ordinary cab drivers are being made to suffer. I have come to pick up a family of 58 travelling to Kushalnagar, and I am now forced to ask all of them, including several senior citizens, to walk nearly 800 metres to board the cab. They are understandably unhappy… This is not how passenger transport should work. Drivers are being put in embarrassing situations.”— Ravi S | Taxi Driver“I regularly pick up a family, and they trust me because they are comfortable with my driving. Today, they are upset with me — not because of my service, but because I asked them to walk a long distance before boarding the cab. That is not easy, especially after a flight. BIAL should have at least announced these rules well in advance so that both drivers and passengers could plan accordingly.”— Dharmaraju MG | Taxi Driver from Mysuru“As a passenger, the entire system is confusing and extremely tiring. We are forced to walk long distances with heavy luggage, with very little guidance. For passengers who require wheelchairs, this feels like punishment rather than support.”— Kiran Purushotham | Passenger“I have arrived with my family of 58 for a wedding, and this experience has been horrible. The walk is not even straightforward. There are elevations, elevators, long corridors of nearly 400 metres, then another descent using stairs before you finally reach the cab pick-up point. With so much luggage and elderly family members, this is simply not possible. Expecting passengers to navigate such a complicated and physically demanding route defeats the purpose of airport transport.”— Jashveer Singh Hora | Passenger“I am confused about where to go or how to coordinate the pick-up. For first-time visitors, this creates a terrible impression of the city and the airport. Nothing about this system is passenger-friendly or driver-friendly.”— Mohammed Ansil | Taxi Driver
