Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport has announced that its all-new Terminal 2 will start operations on 15th January 2023. In a totally unexpected move, the debut airline in the terminal will be Star Air, a Bengaluru-based regional carrier.
Terminal 2 launch
On 15th January 2023, operations will start at Terminal 2 of Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport. Star Air will be the debut airline in the terminal. The first flight scheduled to take-off from Terminal 2 is Star Air flight from Bengaluru to Kalaburagi at 08:40 AM.
We are delighted to announce the commencement of operations from the all-new T2 at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru. Our passengers have been using Terminal 1 since the start of our operations in January 2019. We are excited to be the first airline to make a transition to this new and state-of-the-art terminal on the cusp of our 4th anniversary.
said Simran Singh Tiwana, CEO, Star Air.
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The airport officials added that other airlines will also start operating from Terminal 2 soon.
We are ready to welcome customers of Star Air at our newly inaugurated Terminal 2, offering a distinctive and enhanced travel experience for the passengers. The new terminal will soon be opening doors to passengers of other airlines as well. This will be done in a phased manner as and when the facilities and processes for smooth transition of airlines from T1 to T2 are completed.
said Hari Marar, Managing Director & CEO of Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL).
Terminal details
Terminal 2’s planning began in 2018. The terminal was inaugurated in November 2022. It is equipped to handle at least 25 million flyers annually. The phase 1 of Terminal 2, spread over an area of 2,55,000 square meters, was built at a cost of Rs 5,000 crore. Once the second phase is ready, the terminal will be able to handle 20 million additional flyers. According to airport officials, Terminal 1 and 2 combined will be be able to handle at least 65 million flyers annually.
The terminal is also technically equipped right from the entry point to the point where passengers board aircraft, with automated biometric gates, self-baggage-drop counters, full body scanners and an automatic tray retrieval system adding to passengers’ convenience and efficiency.
Terminal 2 has 22 entry and exit gates, 95 check-in counters, 7 security check lanes and 9 baggage-claim belts. It has a lounge seating capacity of almost 6,000 passengers.
Dedicated to the Garden City of Bengaluru, the airport resembles the environment of a garden. The airport has sourced six lakh plants from ten ecological habitats around the country.
T2’s design has been guided by the principles of sustainability, technology and innovation along with the art and culture of Karnataka. The terminal was largely constructed with bamboo in an eco-friendly initiative. The theme of ‘navrasa’ unites all the commissioned artworks for Terminal 2. The artworks reflect the heritage and culture of Karnataka as well as the broader Indian ethos.
As aforementioned, Star Air will be the debut airline in the terminal. After this, other domestic airlines will also shift some of their operations (or entirely). In April 2023, international departures and arrivals are expected to begin at Terminal 2.
Featured image by Conde Naste Traveller
All the other images by Conde Naste Traveller
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