Airport pet peeve: Passengers raise a stink over dirty washrooms
Times of India | 11 February 2025
123456 Kolkata: Kolkata airport's biggest peeve point reared its ugly head yet again, with complaints pouring in from flyers and even airline staff about the stink and stain in the toilets. The airport reacted to the criticism by pointing to challenges in staff as well as flyer behaviour but promised to continue efforts to improve.
Social media users have highlighted hygiene issues at the airport through X. Sandeep Roy shared images of wet, stained floors, stating: "Shocked to see the unhygienic condition of toilets at Kolkata Airport! Foul smell in front of Bay 57 and no proper maintenance. For an international airport, this is unacceptable. Authorities must take immediate action to ensure cleanliness!"
Suvendu Hait shared an 11-second video showing stained basins with accumulated dirt in the international departure terminal washrooms, with cleaning equipment carelessly left on the floor nearby.
Aradhana Sharma posted: "This is the condition of #KolkataAirport. A cat is roaming around, washrooms are stinking, dustbins are overflowing, and above all, escalators are not working," whilst tagging CM Mamata Banerjee and PM Narendra Modi.
Flyer Pradeep Mondal compared the airport's cleanliness to Howrah Station, noting persistent dirt accumulation and non-functional toilets throughout the facility.
The airport authorities have attempted to address these issues through toilet renovations and contractor accountability measures. An airport official said that amongst 28 toilet blocks, 23 are old and five are newer. Four old blocks have been renovated, with six more under renovation. The remaining facilities are scheduled for revamp by Nov.
The maintenance challenges persist due to unionised housekeeping staff who cannot be dismissed when contracts change. Despite taking control of cleaning supplies and increasing inspections, officials struggle to implement effective disciplinary measures. Officials also cited poor user behaviour as a contributing factor, with improper use of facilities and paan/gutka spitting causing constant staining issues.
In response to recent criticism, the airport shared photos of cleaning activities on X, stating: "Thank you for your feedback. Our housekeeping team works tirelessly to maintain a hygienic environment, though we acknowledge there's always room for improvement. We truly value input from our passengers and regret any inconvenience caused." The airport also promoted its renovated facilities: "In our endeavour to provide best-in-class services to our passengers, newly renovated washrooms in the domestic security hold area of #KolkataAirport are now open. Also, we are upgrading all gate toilets in a phased manner."