Chennai: Travellers at Chennai airport’s international terminal now have one less thing to worry about — staying connected. The newly launched free WiFi service, a long-standing demand from international flyers, especially foreign nationals, is quickly gaining traction, with hundreds logging in within days of its rollout. According to airport authorities, 421 passengers connected to the WiFi on June 26, the day the service was launched. By Saturday (June 29), usage had increased to 636 users, indicating growing awareness and satisfaction with the facility.Chennai airport authorities anticipate the number to go up in the coming days, with more people becoming aware of the facility and making use of it, as approximately 18,000 international flyers use Chennai airport every day. “We have also directed Digi Buddies, who were deployed to increase the DigiYatra usage, to assist flyers accessing the internet facility. A flyer can use WiFi up to 500MB of data or for 45 minutes, whichever comes earlier,” said an official.While those with Indian SIM cards can connect to the WiFi through OTP, foreigners who do not have an Indian SIM card should scan their passport and ticket at the kiosks to generate an OTP on the system to connect their phone to WiFi. Chennai airport came under severe criticism from users for not providing a WiFi facility at the premises. Foreign nationals, in particular, faced issues in booking a cab and calling someone upon arrival. “The WiFi will help foreign nationals book a cab from inside the terminal, instead of getting hounded by touts and extorted in the name of the ride,” said Girish Natarajan, a private firm employee who often flies abroad as part of work. Airport sources said the authorities failed to set up the facility despite many attempts over the last two years since they wanted it to be a revenue-generating model for the AAI.
