Fliers found themselves stuck thanks to blotchy mobile network of multiple service providers; free Wi-Fi at the airport did not have enough range
The Navi Mumbai International Airport, which handled 48 domestic flightson its opening day. PICS/SAYYED SAMEER ABEDI
Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), by and large, made a good first impression on fliers on opening day, but teething troubles — chief of which was a lack of stable mobile network connectivity — played spoilsport. Customers of various network providers said they had a tough time staying connected inside the airport and that the free Wi-Fi provided by the airport lacked range. Visual notices had been put up inside the airport, stating, “Mobile signals may not be available for Airtel, Vodafone, and Jio inside the airport. Connect to ‘NMIAL Free Wi-Fi’ for a smooth and uninterrupted experience.”
A sign alerting passengers to the possibility to experiencing network issues. PIC/X/@whizkidd
Kashi S Nath, who frequently flies between Delhi and Mumbai, said, “I didn’t check my network till I emerged from the airport. Since I had someone picking me up, I wasn’t worried, but those who are new to the city or travelling alone will have a tough time.”
Wi-Fi woes
Naveen Kumar, who was among the first fliers to arrive at Navi Mumbai airport on Thursday. PIC/Madhulika Ram Kavattur
“My original flight to the Mumbai airport got cancelled; hence, I opted to fly to Navi Mumbai. But since I landed, I couldn’t make any calls. With the help of the free Wi-Fi, I booked a cab, but the ride got cancelled as I couldn’t make Wi-Fi calls to the cab driver, and he couldn’t contact me either,” said Naveen Kumar, who had flown in from Mangaluru.
(From left) Atharva Arora, Nimish Gawande, and Saish Warjukar
A group of friends who had arrived from Nagpur were not expecting the network issues. Saish Warjukar said, “The Wi-FI isn’t that helpful, but since we are in a group, we can navigate this mess together.
Naveen Kumar, who was among the first fliers to arrive at Navi Mumbai airport on Thursday. PIC/Madhulika Ram Kavattur
However, some passengers are travelling alone. It is difficult to deal with such network issues when one is in such a situation.” Warjukar’s friends, Atharva Arora and Nimish Gawande, agreed that a little better planning regarding network availability would have gone a long way.
Personal account
Kashi S Nath, who frequently flies between Delhi and Mumbai, at the Navi Mumbai International Airport. Pics/Madhulika Ram Kavattur
This reporter has also faced issues due to the poor network connectivity and Wi-Fi, which was evident at the seating areas outside the arrival gates. Such issues impacted cab bookings, and passengers had to walk at least four kilometres from the airport, where the network is as bad, in the hope of picking up a signal, essentially leaving them stranded till an auto or cab stopped to pick them up. mid-day contacted the Navi Mumbai International Airport Private Limited to learn when the issue would be addressed, but received no reply by press time.
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