The new international terminal at Chennai airport will begin operations for three airlines from August 7.
This can be regarded a soft opening as the three airlines shifting their operations are Spicejet, Indigo and Air Austral - while the first two airlines have minimal international air traffic and the third operates only one flight twice a week.
The new airport terminals have been constructed over the last four years and were finally completed last December. They were inaugurated on January 31 this year and the domestic terminal was pressed into use in April. However, the manpower shortage-hit customs, immigration and CISF, coupled with an unhappy set of airlines, delayed take-off of the terminal for seven months.
For the convenience of passengers, a help desk has been set up and all airlines have been asked to notify passengers about their terminals in advance. Sign boards and new graphic maps have been erected.