New chairs to increase seating capacity at Kol airport by 20%
Times of India | 17 April 2025
Kolkata: The city airport is set to increase the seating capacity by more than 20% in the next three months, following the arrival of a set of new chairs by July and refurbishment of some old chairs in the arrival and departure areas. The infrastructure upgrade comes in response to mounting passenger complaints about poor, unclean, and damaged seats in the security hold area over the years. Authorities said the revamp is part of the overhaul-cum-expansion plan for the terminal that is currently underway.
Airport director Pravat Ranjan Beuria said the new seats have improved backrests and will be arranged to ensure more leg room, addressing a long-standing concern of travellers.
"We are receiving the chairs in two lots. The first lot arrived last year and was fitted in the security hold area. The next lot is set to arrive by July. We will be able to replace all old chairs — most of which were damaged — and the new ones will be fitted at the security hold area as well as the newly expanded areas within the airport," Beuria said.
He added that the decision to change the decade-old seats came after reports from passenger surveys conducted by the airport authorities. Flyers had pointed out the poor seats as one of the major pain points in the terminal experience.
Adhering to international standards that intentionally discourage extended social interaction, the seats come in sets of three conjoined chairs arranged in parallel rows, which are securely fastened to the floor, with armrests dividing the seats. This layout is meant to encourage movement towards airport commercial areas, such as shops and cafes, while also fostering a less intimidating atmosphere for travellers who are strangers to each other.
Last year, 810 sets of such chairs were acquired at a cost of Rs 3.2 crore and have been fitted at the domestic and international security hold area. They can accommodate up to 2,430 passengers.
"Nine hundred and thirty more such sets are being purchased and will be received at the airport by July this year. We also refurbished some old chairs and are fixing those at the arrival and departure seating areas with some of the new chairs," Beuria added.
Flyers welcomed the move since airport authorities promised a more comfortable environment in the coming mo-nths. "It's a thoughtful upgrade. The new chairs are comfo-rtable, modern, and have mu-ch-needed space," said Dwaipayan Roy, a frequent flyer.