Hundreds stranded at Chennai airport amid entry bottlenecks during peak hours

Hundreds of international passengers faced long queues and delays at Chennai airport after several terminal entry gates remained closed during peak morning hours. Travellers heading to destinations including London, Dubai and Singapore urged authorities to ensure smoother access and passenger movement

Chennai: Hundreds of passengers bound for major global destinations including London, Dubai, Singapore, Myanmar, and Doha were allegedly left stranded for hours at the international terminal of the airport here on Tuesday during peak early morning hours.

Airport sources said between 5.00 am and 11.00 am, around 17 international flights were scheduled to depart from the airport. Although the international terminal has 12 entry points, including 10 gates with double-sided access, passengers faced hardship as key entry gates (specifically gates 5, 8, 9, and 10) remained locked, airport sources said.

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Passengers were forced to funnel through a limited number of open gates, resulting in agonisingly long queues extending all the way to the parking area. Many reported waiting in line for over an hour just to enter the terminal building. Airport rules permit passengers to enter the terminal three hours before departure.

However, due to severe entry bottlenecks, travellers are forced to rush through subsequent mandatory procedures, including check-in, customs clearance, and immigration security, under intense stress, sources added. The anxiety escalated significantly when departure announcements were made an hour before takeoff while passengers were still trapped in lines.

Moreover, travellers holding e-Visas faced additional clearance delays, leaving them distressed and fearful of missing their flights. Travellers point out that such recurring delays and administrative hurdles are largely absent at major hubs like Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. As a consequence, a growing number of international travellers from the region are now opting to transit through Mumbai for their long-haul flights to the US and UK.

Affected passengers and regular commuters have urged the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to immediately issue strict directives to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and terminal managers to open all available entry gates during peak operational hours to ensure smooth passenger flow.