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vivekman
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Joined: 26 Dec 2006
Posts: 1897
Location: BOM
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 Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:17 pm Post subject: BIAL Airport - Live Review |
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Hi Gang,
I am currently in the departures zone of Bengaluru International Airport (BIAL). BIAL provides free wi-fi internet access to passengers for 1 hour per login. You have to send an SMS "WIFI BIAL" to 56677 for obtaining the password. I have about 50 min left 
Here are my observations on the airport so far:
Drive to the airport: The drive from my office in Koramangala to the airport took 1.5 hrs - with a small 7-8 min detour to a Subway restaurant on Infantry Road. I encountered a number of traffic snarls at quite a few places in the city.
ATC Tower: The ATC tower has a really weird design; as if someone tried to balance a flying saucer on top of a pole!  The HYD ATC tower on the other hand has a much more aesthetic design.
The Terminal: The terminal looks like an oversized warehouse from outside. Once inside, the interiors are quite nice, although it lacks the warmth of HYD. The green and dark grey colours chosen look pretty dull.
Check-in: I had checked-in on the web, prior to leaving the office, so check-in was no hassle at all. As a King Club Gold member, I got to use the Kingfisher First check-in counter to check-in my luggage. They printed or rather wrote me a lounge invitation, which was valid for Barista or Times Bar, as the Kingfisher Lounge at BLR hasn't opened yet! 
Security Check: Security check was done pretty quickly; it took not more than 5 minutes. One peculiar thing was - they were asking everyone to take their laptops out of the bag and place it on a plastic tray prior to placing it on the conveyer belt for X-ray screening. Any idea why??
So - security check completed, here I am in the Departures section, with half an hour to go before boarding. The airport is quite busy at this hour, with continuous movements to all parts of the country. The smell of freshbly brewed cappuccino beckons, so I must go and grab a cuppa!
Catch ya all later!
Reporting LIVE from the Bengaluru International Airport, this is Vivek Manvi for Airliners India.....  |
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avbuff
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Joined: 22 Dec 2006
Posts: 5031
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| Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:38 pm Post subject: |
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Wow we sure have an exclusive AI.net reporter!
Thanks for the insight though. |
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Nimish
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Joined: 16 Dec 2006
Posts: 9757
Location: Bangalore, India
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| Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:50 pm Post subject: Re: BIAL Airport - Live Review |
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| vivekman wrote: | One peculiar thing was - they were asking everyone to take their laptops out of the bag and place it on a plastic tray prior to placing it on the conveyer belt for X-ray screening. Any idea why??
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This is an international standard - it's done all over the world except in India. I don't know why it's done outside India though...
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sreenath_y
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Joined: 27 Apr 2008
Posts: 528
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| Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks for the live non-senational pure aviation to the pulp news. Hope you are taking some or rather a lot of pics. |
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HAWK21M
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Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 8132
Location: Mumbai, INDIA
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| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 2:06 pm Post subject: |
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The plastic tray is not only for laptops,but all metal objects belonging to an Individual so they are not misplaced & stay in the tray while moving along the conveyor belt,untill retrieved.
regds
MEL
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Think of the Brighter side !!! |
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Spiderguy252
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Joined: 10 Aug 2007
Posts: 4259
Location: Indian Ocean
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| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 8:02 pm Post subject: |
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| HAWK21M wrote: | The plastic tray is not only for laptops,but all metal objects belonging to an Individual so they are not misplaced & stay in the tray while moving along the conveyor belt,untill retrieved.
regds
MEL |
Yes that includes cellphones and watches.
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vivekman
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Joined: 26 Dec 2006
Posts: 1897
Location: BOM
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| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 8:37 pm Post subject: |
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I have seen watches and cellphones being placed on the plastic tray, but this was the first time for a laptop!
Any idea, why the laptop cannot be passed through the scanner while still in the bag?
I passed through security checks elsewhere at BOM, MAA, etc and nowhere did anyone ask me to place it separately on a plastic tray.
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Nimish
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Joined: 16 Dec 2006
Posts: 9757
Location: Bangalore, India
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| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 11:11 pm Post subject: |
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| vivekman wrote: | | I passed through security checks elsewhere at BOM, MAA, etc and nowhere did anyone ask me to place it separately on a plastic tray. |
As I mentioned, at any airport outside India, it's mandatory to have the laptop out for a separate scan.
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vivekman
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Joined: 26 Dec 2006
Posts: 1897
Location: BOM
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| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 11:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Nimish wrote: | | As I mentioned, at any airport outside India, it's mandatory to have the laptop out for a separate scan. |
Agreed! But the point of discussion is - WHY?  |
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karatecatman
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| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 11:57 pm Post subject: |
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One of the new rules is that a laptop must be out of the bag or separate so that the security guy has trhe option of powering it on.
Not possible if its with the rest of the stuff. |
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sammyk
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Joined: 20 Dec 2006
Posts: 2719
Location: Austin, TX
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| Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 12:32 am Post subject: |
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| vivekman wrote: | | Nimish wrote: | | As I mentioned, at any airport outside India, it's mandatory to have the laptop out for a separate scan. |
Agreed! But the point of discussion is - WHY? |
Maybe they found it difficult to X-Ray within the laptop if it was kept in a bag. |
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vivekman
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Joined: 26 Dec 2006
Posts: 1897
Location: BOM
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| Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:32 am Post subject: |
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Yep, that could be the reason. They probably want to make sure that people are not carrying something else under the guise of a laptop.
Once, at GOI airport, I was asked to switch my digital camera ON by the CISF security guard. He then took a look at the LCD screen of the camera, and stamped my boarding pass.
- Vivek |
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sammyk
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Joined: 20 Dec 2006
Posts: 2719
Location: Austin, TX
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| Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:41 am Post subject: |
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| vivekman wrote: | Yep, that could be the reason. They probably want to make sure that people are not carrying something else under the guise of a laptop.
Once, at GOI airport, I was asked to switch my digital camera ON by the CISF security guard. He then took a look at the LCD screen of the camera, and stamped my boarding pass.
- Vivek |
Yah, that is/was common too. There was a time they'd make you turn on anything electronic, phones, ipods, cameras, etc. |
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Nimish
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Joined: 16 Dec 2006
Posts: 9757
Location: Bangalore, India
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| Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 9:10 pm Post subject: |
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| vivekman wrote: | | Agreed! But the point of discussion is - WHY? |
Sorry - no idea why. One guess is that the "dense" electronics in a laptop might mask a less dense circuit below - which might be something the "villain" is trying to sneak through. That would also explain why they ask for all video cameras to be taken out and sent for "solitary examination" as well.
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