Cochin Airport

Flew in and out of Cochin on domestic services. Considering this is the 'new' airport it was looking pretty shabby and the facilities are minimal. There's the usual stream of military-looking personnel checking passports tickets baggage labels(!) multiple times and for goodness sake go to the toilet before you exit the terminal - as they won't let you back in again. It is also worth mentioning that the airport is 45km outside Cochin so leave plenty of time to get to and from it.

Flew in and out of the domestic terminal on a recent trip to Kerala. I was expecting better given that it's a privately run airport. The facilities on offer are almost non existent - just a couple of shops before the check-in area but nothing beyond check-in except for a Cafe Coffee Day. The airport also seems rather small given the high amount of tourist traffic to Kerala these days; only one line for security and only two gates. We got to the airport quite early and thus had no problems with lines but the departure area became badly overcrowded by early evening. Toilets were disgusting. On the plus side the building exterior's colonial architecture is nice free wireless internet is provided the chairs in the departure lounge are comfortable and the small size means just a short walk from the terminal to your plane as opposed to an uncomfortable bus ride - and if you have a domestic/international connection the terminals are walking distance to each other.

I have flown in an out of Cochin airport around three times now (1 domestic and 2 international) and have been lucky to make it out of the airport within 10 minutes of leaving the flight. I agree with other reviews that it would help to have some foresight in their planning as the facilities seem too small for an airport that is already having the fourth largest passenger volume in India and looks to attract further international flights. The shopping options are at best a joke and could be done without. I would have like more information screens giving an updated status on all flights in the waiting areas. I wonder if the designers even looked at any comparable international airports for good designs. My rating - 3 stars - and a lot of areas to improve.

For a small Indian airport was surprised at the high standards. Having a major upgrade so scaffolding about. Public toilets clean and tidy. Lounge on left on entry is a joke but good coffee and toast. BTW economy pax can get in for free if they have a Gold Mastercard - no charge.

Departed around 10 p.m. and found check-in area devoid of any crowds. Then proceeded to coffee shop at left of check-in area which also doubles as lounge for a number of airlines (incl. Emirates). I doubt whether this establishment will still be in business on my next trip. They never served alcohol in the past but now they have even stopped serving soft drinks (cola lemonade). However they do serve Red Bull - go figure. They charge Rs 240 (around US$ 6) for a cheese sandwich - outrageous in a country such as India. Duty Free Shop prices are in US$ but no flights depart from here to US. If you elect to pay in a currency of any destination country (e.g. UAE Dirhams) they will overcharge you on the exchange rate and then again by not having small change. Total premium: 15%. On the upside: waiting time at immigration has improved but when exiting India your patience is sorely tried by the extensive scrutiny that Indian travel documents are apparently subjected to.

I wonder if Guy Liardet went through the same airport as I did? It was a shambles. Check-in was fine but the problems arose at baggage screening and immigration. It took an hour to clear those two obstacles as the security guard could not recognize two books in my suitcase and I therefore had to open my case and in the next queue airport staff were not checking that departing passengers had completed their exit slips for immigration and as a result many had to fill them in in front of the immigration officers meaning that it took 5 minutes to see two people. So by the time security had been cleared we had to go straight to boarding. No time for lounges duty free or anything.

Clean and well run if a bit spartan. Airside lounge very comfortable some catering. Both gender toilets clean and well maintained. There were however seven or eight administrative hurdles (X-ray this X-ray that boarding card emigration stamp this customs stamp that check again) to cross.

Cochin Airport is definitely in a higher league than any other airport in India. For amount of traffic handled the layout and size is more than adequate. Still not as efficient as it could be though. The desk placed in front of the security area was staffed by 5 people but only one was actually doing any work (checking boarding passes) whilst the other four were clearly not engaged in productive activity. I would have preferred to see what for Indian conditions is a whopping airport tax of Rs 500 (collected in cash and on top of the various taxes already charged to your ticket) being used to provide a wireless LAN instead of overstaffing by a factor of 5.

Cochin though the principal business center of the very small south Indian state of Kerala is hardly a grand city. I remember well the old naval station that served as Cochin's past airport. The new airport is leaps and bounds better and given the humble nature of its surroundings a marvel. Compared to other Indian airports this is undoubtably one of the best in the country. I have found service to be clean efficient and relatively friendly. Is this Changi or Heathrow or Hong Kong - no. Is Cochin in the same league with these places - no. Is the shopping great - no. Who goes to a Kerala airport to shop? (Although I bought a bottle of Grand Marnier there at an excellent price.) I must say that many European and American airports I have travelled through haven't the same charm as this small outpost. The seating in the waiting area though "auditorium style" is among the most classy I have seen in any airport and RS500 (~USD 11 only for international flights outbound) is not much for an international traveller.

This airport was opened a few years ago as India's first privately financed airport so when I went to Kerala a few weeks ago I had expected to find a highly efficient and modern airport on a par with Singapore's Changi or KLIA. The terminal looks drab and antiquated and is already showing signs of poor maintenance. Facilities and shopping opportunities are very basic. When I landed there were only 4 immigration counters open and the small holding bay was absolutely packed with just one flight; when another flight landed there was no room to accommodate all the passengers in the immigration area. Unlike other Indian airports on departing we are expected to pay 'an airport users fee' of RS500 despite having prepaid airport tax which I thought was cheeky in view of the poor service. With private backing this airport should have been truly world class and a great opportunity has been missed.