The Bengaluru bandh on Tuesday, September 2 has reduced the number of vehicles on the road. The Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) and various airlines have issued advisories to passengers to plan their travel arrangements and arrive at the airport ahead of time to minimise any inconvenience.
IndiGo has recommended passengers to arrive at least 2.5 hours before domestic and 3.5 hours before international departures as travel time to Bengaluru airport may take longer than normal due to Bandh called today in the city.
Akasa Air and SpiceJet also issued advisories for their passengers in Bengaluru. “Due to the Bandh declared in Bengaluru on 26 Sep 2023, there may be an impact on public transport facilities for travel to and from the airport. To ensure a seamless experience, we recommend that you plan for extra travel time and reach the airport at least 3 hours prior to the departure of your Akasa Air flight. Please check your flight status here: https://bit.ly/qpfltsts," Akasa Air said on X, formerly Twitter.
Akasa Air also offered its customers an option to book an alternate, available flight at no additional cost. "In case you choose not to travel to or from Bengaluru on 26 Sep 2023, you may request to be rebooked on an alternate, available flight at no additional cost, by calling our Akasa Care Centre on +91 9606 112131," said Akasa Air.
SpiceJet in its advisory wrote, “Due to the Bangalore Bandh declared on 26th September'23, local transport facilities may be affected. Passengers are advised to allow sufficient time for their journey and report at least 180 minutes prior to the departure time to avoid any last-minute hassle"
Vistara airlines said, “Please be advised that our flights will continue to operate according to the current schedule. For any additional updates or changes, we encourage you to stay connected with our official social media channels.
The Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) in an advisory said, “Due to the one-day Bengaluru bandh called by various unions and organisations on September 26, 2023, we anticipate disruption in transport services. Passengers are advised to plan their travel to and from the airport accordingly. Passengers are requested to follow alerts from respective airlines, law enforcement agencies and media releases for further updates.”
The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation Staff and Workers Federation and the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation have extended their support to the 'Bengaluru Bandh' call, likely affecting KSRTC and BMTC services. However, cab and auto aggregator apps will continue to operate. Despite initially supporting the Bengaluru bandh, the Ola Uber Drivers’ and Owners’ Association later withdrew their support and said their services will run as usual.