… isn’t as modern as Delhi’s, or Bangalore’s or Hyderabad’s. (Yet.) But some like it anyway…

I haven’t been through Mumbai in a while. My recent trips have taken me to Delhi and Bangalore, both of which have brand new airports, built quite recently. I was curious about Mumbai.

So I asked a question of Facebook: Anyone flown into or out of Mumbai recently? How does the airport compare with the new airport in Delhi?

“I flew in in early July…Mumbai is a disaster,” said S.

Ricky Surie disagreed. “Mumbai is much better than New Delhi: you get from plane to car in 30 minutes. New Delhi is awful: you have to walk many miles from the gate to the immigration desk. After that, baggage is mercifully close ;-)”

I know what he means. Delhi’s old outdated airport was just that efficient. It was small, so there wasn’t far to walk; staffing had been stepped up, reducing the long lines so common in prior years; and getting from plane to car was faster than at any other airport I visited. Even big modern snazzy ones like Singapore and Dubai. Now Delhi’s just such a modern snazzy airport, and it’s a long hike to the gates.

But Akhil disagreed: “No comparison- Delhi Airport is World Class- Mumbai Airport is still a construction site.”

I stopped by Yelp to see what other reviewers had to say. Some people liked the new terminal; a few mentioned the service, and one reviewer the “air of calm” (though she also said the tarmac was chaotic, and the bus she was in had to honk its way through to the plane). But… many others disliked the service, found the airport dirty, and the air conditioning ineffective.

A TAXI TALE

The world over, taxi tales are like fish stories: Everyone has one.

Here’s one from Naveen Anand, who noted that the touts have shifted base from Delhi to Mumbai. “Last visit I had to take a cab from Mumbai airport to Wadala… Didn’t see the pre-paid counter before exiting. Cabbie asked for slip..I said what slip?… He said if no slip, please leave! When I got off, he offered to take me for Rs 600, saying the slip would be for Rs 700! I declined… Finally another cabbie took Rs 200 in advance — and dropped me outside the airport to put me in another cab to which he paid Rs 150.00 !!”

IS HYDERABAD THE BEST?

S. figures Hyderabad trumps the lot. “The best airport in India today is Hyderabad — combination of world class, super efficient baggage handling, the right size, competitive by the meter radio cab system outside exit, stunning landscaping for the first few kilometers…”

Ricky Surie had the last word: “Hyderabad is great, but the Bangalore airport is on another planet ;-)!”