Mumbai – guide to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport

Mumbai’s award-winning Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is India’s and South Asia’s busiest airport, served by around 50 international airlines whose flights to Mumbai carry some 25 million passengers each year.

Over the past few years, the airport has undergone extensive modernisation and not only looks better but also has better signage, additional check-in counters, a wider range of food and drink outlets, and improved cleanliness.

It has been named both ‘Best Airport in India’ (Airport International Council) and ‘Best Airport in Public-Private Partnership’ (Air Passengers Association of India), and was the first airport in the country to implement self-service kiosks.

Location and layout

Named after the 17th century Maratha Emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhonsle, the airport is spread across two separate sites located about 3 miles apart – one for the two domestic terminals (1A and 1B), and the other for the two international terminals (2B and 2C). There’s a free coach service every 20 minutes during the day between the international and domestic terminals for transfer passengers.

Trains, buses and taxis connect the airport with central Mumbai, which is located about 20 miles away – or 1-2 hours by road (depending on traffic).

Mumbai Airport Facilities

Duty-free shopping is available at the international terminal, and there is also a pharmacy.

For a spot of pre-flight pampering, the luxurious O2 Spa (www.o2spa.in) is now open on the mezzanine level of the international terminal, offering treatments based on a blend of traditional Thai and Indian techniques. The services are well-targeted at passengers who are on-the-go, including foot reflexology, relaxing neck and back massages, facials, pedicures and manicures. Perfect for calming pre-flight nerves.

Passengers can also use the free Wi-Fi service available throughout the airport.

Eating and drinking

Since its revamp, the airport is now home to a fairly good range of food and drink establishments including pizza places, coffee shops, and plenty of snack bars. In the international terminal 2B there’s a food court incorporating KFC, Pizza Hut, Indian Paradise, Noodle, and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. In international terminal 2C there are snack bars and coffee shops plus the Celebration Bar & Restaurant.

Hotels near Mumbai Airport

If you need hotel accommodation near Mumbai airport, there are several within a short distance that offer free shuttle services to the airport. These include Leela Kempinski Hotel, the Midland Hotel Mumbai, and Orchid Ecotel Hotel. You can book hotel accommodation at the airport.

Flights from the UK to Mumbai India

Direct flights to India (Mumbai) take approximately 9 hours from the UK. The cheapest fares tend to be from London Heathrow, but you can also fly from many different regional airports including Cardiff, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Aberdeen, and Belfast International. The international terminals are busiest at night.

The airport is the primary hub for Air India and Jet Airways, and also serves as a secondary hub for other airlines such as Indian Airlines, JetLite, GoAir, SpiceJet, IndiGo and Kingfisher.

For more information about Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (airport code: BOM), visit http://www.csia.in/

Abu Dhabi International Airport

Abu Dhabi International Airport lies just 32km (20 miles) east of the heart of Abu Dhabi city. It is one of the fastest growing airports in the world, with ambitious expansion plans as the demand for flights to Abu Dhabi continue to grow, and it even boasts its own well-respected sand golf course.

The airport’s newest terminal, terminal 3, opened in January 2009, which helped to ease passenger congestion in terminal 1. Most international airlines, except Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi’s flag carrier), still use terminal 1, however, which is housed in an architecturally interesting domed building with curved, mosaic walls. Passengers seem to either love or hate the building, but either way it seems to provoke strong reactions.

General facilities

Facilities across the airport’s terminals include coffee shops and restaurants; free internet access points and a Wi-Fi network; plasma screens showing BBC World News; showers; and duty free shopping outlets.

There is seating available in all of the terminals, but for a bit more luxury you can pay AED100 (per four hour block) to use the Airport Hotel Lounge or the Ghazal Lounge facilities.  There is also a business centre with computer workstations and internet access if you want to get on with some work.

Shopping at Abu Dhabi Airport

As mentioned in an earlier post about shopping in Abu Dhabi some passengers choose to fly via Dubai rather than Abu Dhabi just for its award-winning duty free shopping, and it’s true that Abu Dhabi’s offering can’t compete. Still, there are duty free shops across all of the airport’s terminals where you can find all the usual fare, such as watches, perfume, cigarettes and alcohol, and there are multi-lingual staff on hand to help, speaking a wide range of languages ranging from English to Chinese.

Recreation

If you have quite a bit of time to kill at the airport, there is a fitness centre at the Airport Hotel, which you can pay (AED23 per person) to use if you are a non-guest. It has a jacuzzi, a sauna and a gym, and is free for those staying at the hotel.

The airport also has an 18-hole golf course that is considered to be one of the world’s best sand courses, located just 400 metres from the main terminal (two minutes by road). The Al Ghazal Golf Course has an English-style hilltop clubhouse, a swimming pool, tennis courts and a health club equipped with a gym, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi.

Other Airport Facilities

The airport also has a post office and post box (terminal 1); several coffee shops and snack bars; and numerous designated smoking areas within the transit and satellite area, and in some cafés.

For more information about Abu Dhabi International Airport or visit http://www.abudhabiairport.ae/