KIA Terminal-2 commences domestic ops; Star Air first flight to take off

BENGALURU: The Terminal-2 (T2) of Kempegowda International Airport started domestic operations on Sunday (January 15).

The first airline to begin flights from the new terminal was Star Air. The inaugural flight was to Kalaburagi which took off from T2 at 8.40 am and the turnaround flight from Kalaburagi landed at 11.25 am.

The new terminal was opened on Sunday.

Other domestic airlines are expected to start their services to and from KIA’s T2, followed by international airlines, in a phased manner over the next few months.

Hari Marar, MD and CEO of Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) said, “We welcomed customers of Star Air at T2 on Sunday. The terminal will soon welcome passengers of other airlines as well. This will be done in a phased manner when the facilities and processes for the smooth transition of airlines from T1 to T2 are completed. The opening of T2 has been much awaited not just for us, but also for Bengalureans and passengers travelling from different cities. We want to make passenger journeys truly memorable by offering the best experience to them”.

Star Air ran the inaugural domestic flight to Kalaburagi.

Access to T2

Bengaluru airport’s expansion plan included the construction of T2 and the associated infrastructure which include access roads and utilities. To provide easy accessibility to T2, a 4.4 km-long additional access road called the ‘Terminal Boulevard’ was inaugurated earlier last week. It connects to T2 departures and also leads to T2 arrivals without any traffic signals.

Passengers arriving at T2 can be picked up by their cars at the parking area. Complimentary shuttle services are also available between T1 and T2 at regular intervals.

The terminal equipped to handle 25 million passengers annually.

About Terminal-2

The T2 is designed with memorable visual impressions starting from the access roads which lead to the terminal. Referred to as the ‘Terminal in a Garden’, T2 is a tribute to the Garden city of Bengaluru. The terminal is meant to be a ‘walk in the garden’, with passengers travelling through 10,000+ sqmt of green walls, hanging gardens and outdoor gardens built through indigenous technology.

Located on the north-eastern side of Terminal-1, T2 spans 255,661 sqmt and is equipped to handle 25 million passengers annually.