CHENNAI: Senior Congress leader and former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Sunday dismissed Chennai airport’s explanation for not using aerobridges despite their availability, calling it a “lame excuse” and urging the aviation authorities to act on what he described as a genuine passenger grievance.

In a post on social media, Chidambaram said he counted at least three vacant aerobridges at Chennai airport, yet the IndiGo aircraft he flew in on was parked at a remote stand, and passengers were made to disembark using a ramp. He said this was not an isolated instance, as both IndiGo and Air India often did not use aerobridges even when they were free.

He argued that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) must mandate the use of aerobridges wherever available, prioritising the convenience and safety of passengers. Using step ladders or ramps caused “enormous inconvenience” to elderly passengers, those with infants, differently abled travellers and wheelchair users, he said.

Responding to the comment, the Airports Authority of India’s Chennai unit said IndiGo operates from both T1 and T4 terminals, and in this case, flight 6E 7242 arrived from Tiruchy at T1 and was later scheduled to depart to Madurai from T4. Hence, an open stand was allotted to avoid operational delays and ensure “optimum utilisation” of the aerobridge facility for other turnarounds.

However, Chidambaram rejected the explanation, saying the airline must schedule its operations in a way that an aircraft arrives and departs from the same terminal. “When I counted three aerobridges that were vacant and available, that is an apt commentary on the ‘optimal utilisation’ of PBBs,” he wrote.

“I have expressed my opinion. It is for DGCA and AAI to look into a genuine grievance of passengers,” he added.