In a set of guiding principles established by the government, airports have been advised to curb the proliferation of retail outlets and lounges at airports if these impact their capacity to handle passengers.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has also told airports to ensure that the retail shops do not obstruct the movement of passengers. Terminal buildings are often designed to force travellers to walk past duty-free outlets and other shops from the security-check area to the boarding gates, instead of giving them access to a clear passage.
In fact, waiting lounges, shops, and office spaces have been demolished at Delhi and Mumbai airports since last winter to facilitate passenger movement, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said, addressing a press conference on Friday.
