Amritsar to Mangalore Flights

  About Amritsar

Amritsar, in Punjab, has been a city of historical and mythological importance since a very long time. According to scriptures, the city housed Maharishi Valmiki, who wrote Ramayana. It is also said that Goddess Sita gave birth to Luv and Kush at the Ramtirth ashram in Amritsar. Amritsar is colloquially called Ambarsar and was initially called Ramdaspur. And how can you forget the Golden Temple! It's one of the most famous religious places of worship and has also been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Golden Temple sees visitors from all over the world throughout the year. You cannot leave Amritsar without visiting the Golden Temple and embracing your spiritual side. The langar food will leave you satiated for a very long time. You can also volunteer in the kitchen and help the others serve. It is an experience of a lifetime.

Amritsar was founded by Guru Ram Das, who is the fourth Sikh guru who founded the holy city in the Sikh tradition. Guru Ram Das made a pool and a home next to it after which he named the town he founded, Ramdaspur. He then invited merchants and artisans to come to live in the town that was later called Amritsar. Sikhism is a widely practised religion in Amritsar, and the Sikhs have also been a very integral part of Indian history. Amritsar is also known for the tragic Jallianwala Bagh Massacre that saw the merciless killing of hundreds of Sikhs. It is one of the most visited tourist attractions, too, where you can see the bullet marks on the walls even now.

You can also visit the Bhagwan Valmiki Tiath Asthan, which is believed to be the birthplace of Luv and Kush. It is also where Maharishi Valmiki stayed and wrote the Ramayana. If you feel like going on a shopping spree, you will find lots of colourful clothes and souvenirs to take back home. All you women out there, make sure to buy the phulkari dupattas from the markets. Hall Market is one of the most popular lanes for a fun shopping spree. You can also indulge in some scrumptious local treats and try out the street food. Amritsari kulchas, Tandoori luchas, Keema naan, kulfis, phirni and some mouth-watering lassi at a Dhaba. Hungry yet?

The city is also visited a lot because of the Wagah Border. Witness the retreat ceremony at the border that divides India and Pakistan two hours before sunset every day. It will surely make you feel patriotic and can get quite overwhelming. You can also visit the Museums in the city to get to know more about its history. The Sikhs are also known to be very friendly and hospitable, which is another reason you must visit this city, at least once in your life. The city is well-connected, and if you are starting your trip from Delhi, a nice road trip will work just perfectly. The popular route from Amritsar to Delhi is often the most sought-after for an impromptu road trip.

Best Time to Visit Amritsar

Amritsar experiences winter from November to March, which is also the best time to visit the city. It's ideal to go sightseeing and plan other outdoor activities that can get quite difficult during summer and monsoon. The temperature can fall below 5 degree Celsius in January and evenings can get quite foggy. Summer starts from April and goes on till June. The summer gets really hot, and the maximum temperature is approximately 40 degrees Celsius. The heat will only make it more difficult for you to get out of your hotel rooms. The monsoons start from July and till October. The city experiences mild rains sometimes that can also get intense a lot of times. But the weather is mostly humid during monsoon and makes it unfavourable for you to step out or plan a trip during this time.

Places to Visit in Amritsar

The Golden Temple is one of the first things that you must visit when you reach Amritsar. The sheer aura of the temple is so positive, it will put you in a good mood instantly. Make sure to cover your head with a piece of cloth or dupatta, for women. The dome at the top of the temple is made of pure gold, and it even has a pond inside the complex. Do not leave without relishing the langar prasad. The Jallianwala Bagh is yet another place of historical importance that you must visit when you go to Amritsar. It was where hundreds of people were shot dead by Britishers, and the walls still have bullet marks. The spot was turned into a memorial after the independence to honour those who lost their lives on that fateful day.

Do make sure you also visit the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum which was actually the palace of the first King of the Sikh empire, Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The museum boasts of antiquities and personal belongings of the King. You'll also come across a lot of paintings as you take a tour of the palace. The Ram Tirth Ashram is yet another place that you can visit. It's an ancient pilgrimage where Luv and Kush were born. You'll also come across a hut in which Maharishi Valmiki stayed. The Gobindgarh Fort is another location that deserves your attention and is also of historical importance. The fort was built by Gujjar Singh Bhangi's army and was later reconstructed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the early 1800s.

Things to do in Amritsar

Be a part of Guru Ka Langar. You can volunteer in serving the langar food or in the kitchen to cook, chop vegetables or do the dishes. It is very fulfilling, and you'll surely enjoy it. You can also visit all the major attractions in the city like the Jallianwala Bagh, Gobindgarh Fort, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum and a couple of more places. Either you can hire a cab for an entire day to go sightseeing, or you can plan your own itinerary. You will easily find rickshaws and other modes of commuting quite easily. Make sure you try out Amritsari food and lassi at the dhabas after your shopping spree at the Hall Market. You can also go birdwatching at the Harike Wetlands. Your trip to Amritsar will be historical, educational, gastronomical and fun. Getting around the city won't be that difficult. To make things easier, you can hire a tour guide at the museums and historical locations if you wish to. You'll also find amusement parks in the city if you are travelling with your kids or a large family.

Foods and Restaurant in Amritsar

Whatever you do, do not miss the langar ka prasad. It's a simple meal consisting of dal, roti and kheer, but you will simply love it. It is advisable to go to the temple in the morning, offer your prayers and then wait to be served the best food in one of the biggest kitchens. You can also head to All India Famous for some Amritsari kulchas. Buzz is that they run out of kulchas by 2 pm so you might have to get there for breakfast or early lunch. Kesar Da Dhaba is one of the most popular dhabas and only serves vegetarian food. The dhaba was started way back in 1916, and the recipe has not changed since then. Pal Da Dhaba and Beera Chicken House are some of the other famous eateries if you want to binge on some mouth-watering butter chicken or lamb. Head over to Ahuja Milk Bhandaar for a delicious, tall glass of lassi. No meal in Amritsar is complete without a glass of lassi. You'll find a lot of vegetarian and non-vegetarian options in the city. It is also advisable to carry your own bottle of alcohol if at all, you wish to dine and drink at the same time. A lot of places that serve non-veg do not provide alcohol. The locals also carry their own bottle of liquor when they eat out.

How to reach Amritsar (Transportation)

By Air

The Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport is only a 15-20 minutes drive to and from the city. Domestic flights from Amritsar to major metropolitan cities run every day from here, and it also connects directly to a couple of international destinations. You can get pretty good flight deals online for Amritsar and can even book hotels in Amritsar along with it.

By Rail

The Amritsar railway station connects to Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Agra, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Chandigarh. Delhi to Amritsar is a popular route that a lot of travellers prefer. It takes about 6 hours to reach Amritsar from Delhi. Paschim Express is the fastest train that you can board from Mumbai to reach Amritsar, and the journey takes about 30 hours approximately.

By Road

You'll find a lot of government and private bus services from Ambala, Patiala, Delhi, Chandigarh and Jammu. You can also hire a taxi from these cities to reach Amritsar. If you are travelling from afar, flights are the best options or trains, if you are on a budget.

  About Mangalore

Nestled amid the lap of the Western Ghats on one side and the Arabian Sea on the other, is this quaint paradisiacal city, Mangalore. It is the chief port city of the state of Karnataka and an important contributor to the economy as well as cultural heritage.

Best time to visit Mangalore

Mangalore's charming weather continues to stay between September and April, making it the best months to visit the coastal city. The humidity is minimal, and the temperature barely crosses beyond 30 degree Celsius, making it ideal for travellers. Summers do get too hot to handle as the humidity in the air soars. The monsoon is also quite unfavourable owing to the excessive rainfall that the city experiences. Perhaps skip the months July and August too. It is noted that the flight tickets to Mangalore drop during the off-season, which makes it convenient for travellers to visit the city.

Places to visit in Mangalore

Panambur Beach

The coastal city of Mangalore has a plethora of beaches to check out. However, the one that manages to stand out is the Panambur beach. In a popularity race among all the beaches in Mangalore, Panambur certainly takes the cake. Annually, the beach organises an International Kite Festival which witnesses a throng of participants and audience. There are other competitions like boat race, sculpture making contests and more.

Kudroli Gokarnath Temple

The Gokarnath Temple, also known as the Gokarnatheshwara Temple, has been built to honour Lord Shiva. With Dravidian-style architecture and gorgeous golden Gopurams, the temple's beauty is worth mentioning. Devotees often come here to seek blessings of Lord Shiva, who is known for his kind heart. By evening, the temple lights up the premise with yellow lights, adding to the aesthetic beauty of the structure.

Bejai Museum

A trip to explore a city is incomplete without a visit to the museum. At the Bejai Museum, you will be amazed by the collection of artefacts, weapons, coins and basically historical paintings and sculptures that depict the history of the city. The museum came into existence in 1955 and was founded by Col. VR Mirajkar. The city's museum is certainly an interesting trip that you should take up.

St. Aloysius Chapel

One of the main tourist attractions in Mangalore is the stunning white St Aloysius Chapel. People of faith visit the church to seek blessings while some who are marvelled by the pristine architecture take a tour of the church complex. Either way, the best part about the church is the setting and ambience. St Aloysius faces the sea, which brings forth a scenic backdrop. There are some lovely paintings within the church too that have been painted by Antonio Moscheni, an Italian artist.

Ullal Beach

While the Panambur beach's fame could attract far too many tourists, the Ullal beach would be able to give you the peace and tranquillity you've been looking for. The exquisite coast of the beach lined with palm trees is a scenic bliss that would stay in your memory. Although the beach is a few kilometres away from the main city, the calm and quiet ambience certainly makes all the travelling worth it.

Kadri Manjunatha Temple

The city does have a handful of temples and religious institutions. The Kadri Manjunatha Temple is more than ten centuries old and has been constructed in a classic Vijaynagari style. It's intriguing to note that there is some Buddhist-influenced architecture too that can be found in the temple premise.

Sultan Batthery

You will come across this suggestion to visit Sultan Batthery when you visit Mangalore. It is one of the most fascinating locations and has an interesting story too. The watchtower was constructed by Mysore prince Tipu Sultan to keep an eye on the ships that would possibly arrive to invade the city.

Things to do in Mangalore

Surfing

Mangalore has some enthusiastic water sports organisers who conduct activities like snorkelling, surfing and more. They are certainly making the most of their coasts by indulging in water activities. You can also do the same.

Indulge in Konkani-Mangalorean cuisine

Mangalore's food scene is simply top-notch. The variety of cuisine or the dishes from their own Konkani-Mangalorean roots is beyond amazing. You will be thrilled by the tastes and flavours the food has to offer. From Gajali's lip-smacking seafood to gadbad ice cream, the streets of Mangalore city are waiting for you to splurge on their cuisine!

Spindrift

Mangalore's very own brewery, Spindrift is one such place that you would totally enjoy if quaint setting with mindful music is your scene. It is the city's first brewery and enjoys an excellent reputation for amazing drinks and great food. Spindrift would easily be considered one of the best places in the city to unwind and relax.

A day at the Pilikula Nisargadhama

Pilikula Nisargadhama is a melange of educational entertainment which works for kids and adults. The vast complex has a zoo, an amusement park, a massive golf course, a heritage village and even a planetarium! You can use an entire day to explore the park and enjoy what they have to offer.

Food and Restaurants in Mangalore

As a coastal city, the staple food of Mangalore is undoubtedly seafood. However, as a city with multitudes of religious amalgam, the Mangalorean cuisine is also quite intriguing with the spice being the centre of attention. You can indulge in the lip-smacking Konkani-styled fish thali followed by the famous Gadbad ice cream during your trip to Mangalore. Mangalorean and Konkani seafood isn't the only thing that will keep you busy. There are some famous joints which also emulate the famous Goan dishes such as vindaloo, pork and more. Plus, eventually, as a South Indian city, there is bound to be the classic idli, vada, sambar cuisine that many adore.

To get the best of Konkani Mangalorean food, head straight to the New Taj Mahal Cafe, Machali Restaurant, Mangala Restaurant and Gajalee. Sagar Ratna is a famous chain of restaurants that you can find in the city. Indulge in some delicious Udupi cuisine with ragi dosas and neer dosas while sipping a glass of kaapi. Speaking of which, you should definitely visit Hotel Karthik for the exceptional filter kaapi with tuppa dosa. It would be a crime to leave the city without tasting the popular Gadbad ice cream at Pabba's Ice Cream Shop.

How to reach Mangalore (Transportation)

By Air

Mangalore International Airport is perched upon a hilltop and is 15 km away from the city centre. The airport witnesses numerous flights coming in and out from within India and overseas. Flights for Mangalore are aplenty, and it is the second busiest airport in Karnataka. Flight connectivity from Mangalore to cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Coimbatore and Hubli are impeccable. Various domestic airlines such as Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo and SpiceJet have dedicated flights to Mangalore that fly daily. The domestic and international routes of Mangalore does witness air traffic as flights are coming in from within India as well as abroad.

Mangalore along with Lengpui and Kozhikode are the only three airports in India that have tabletop runways. For travellers, this would be quite the visual spectacle to see the flight land on a mountain plateau. The old terminal of Mangalore is used for direct international flights to Madinah in Saudi Arabia and is mainly reserved for pilgrims who undertake to go to Hajj. There are international routes from Mangalore connecting flights to Dubai as well. The flight connectivity from Mangalore to Middle Eastern countries as well as domestic cities is exemplary and hence, makes it one of the busiest airports. There are bus shuttle services from the airport to the main city. You can also take taxi cab services to reach the main city.

By Rail

The city also has a dedicated main railway station called the Mangalore Junction Railway Station. The railway is brilliantly connected with various cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Karwar, Delhi, Pune and more. There are express trains as well as mails. Due to the heavy demand that Mangalore-bound trains have, it is best to book tickets to the city in advance. You can also book a hotel ahead of your visit to Mangalore. Since the railway station is located within the city, transit around the main area of Mangalore is convenient. You can simply get a rickshaw or bus to take you around the city.

By Road

There are direct buses from various cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Kochi, Ooty, Coimbatore, to name a few, that travel to Mangalore. Most of them are private-owned buses with AC and Non-AC Volvo options for the passenger to pick. You can even opt for sleeper or seater buses depending on which one is comfortable for you. The travelling time to Mangalore by bus is slightly high as it is in a corner. However, as long as you opt for a ride that falls in your schedule, you can reach without any hassle. Plus, the bus halts at various junctions within the city, so it is very convenient to the passenger.

  About Amritsar Airport

Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport serves as an international airport for Punjab and is located in the city of Amritsar. The airport is 11 km away from the city centre. The Amritsar Airport has been named after the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das. The Sikh Guru is believed to be the founder of the Amritsar city. Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport is known to be the busiest airport in Punjab. The airport is also being acknowledged as a fastest-growing venture in India and is ranked as the sixth-best regional airport in the country as well as Central Asia. The airport, previously known as Amritsar Rajasansi Airport's Airstrip was established to cater to the British in the 1930s. It was specifically used for VVIP movements. After the independence though, the town's airport received good connection with Indian cities such as Srinagar and Delhi. The airport launched its first international flight in 1960. The flight was chartered to Kabul in Afghanistan. Later, in 1982, the Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport also started their direct international flight to connect Amritsar and Birmingham in the United Kingdom. The flight didn't last for long as it had to be stopped by Air India, following the controversial Operation Blue Star, which took place in 1984.

About Amritsar Airport Terminals

There is a single passenger terminal that has integrated international and domestic flight operations. Back in 2009, the Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport inaugurated an integrated terminal to bring forth a modernized program and enhance the airport's passenger capacity and functioning. An integrated terminal building has been built to accommodate passenger traffic. The terminal has been constructed with steel and glass and is perfectly equipped with world-class facilities such as inline X-ray baggage, conveyor system and various other amenities. They have incorporated Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) as well as Flight Information Display System (FIDS), as part of their modern amenities. The new terminal holds 30 check-in counters, 26 immigration counters, 12 security check booths, four x-ray scanners and four conveyor belts, for arrivals. The new terminal also harbours more extensive apron to accommodate parking of more than 15 aircraft.

About airport authority

Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport is owned and operated by Airports Authority of India. AAI acquired the regional airport with a means to expand its functioning and to bolster its performance. The airport has witnessed a good surge of air traffic as well as passenger activities. Hence, the Airports Authority of India has worked on its expansions and developments. The statutory body has brought forth an integrated terminal to bring forth better facilities for the domestic as well as international terminal. Both the flight activities catering to international and domestic flights are handled from the new terminal. AAI has brought forth amazing modern amenities to enhance the airport's functions. From modern designs to newer installed equipment, the airport body has brought tremendous efficiency to the regional airport.

Facilities at the Amritsar Airport

WiFi: Amritsar airport has immaculate WiFi services available. The WiFi services at Amritsar airport is free for 30 minutes. However, if you need it for more than the allotted time, you will have to purchase the internet card. The card is available for INR 20 per hour. The connection is good and even required as often the connectivity for a mobile network in the airport is not excellent.

ATMs and Forex: As the airport does see a lot of crowd at the domestic as well as international terminals, there are many ATM kiosks and forex counters available. The foreign exchange counters are available at the departure as well as the arrival segments.

Child care rooms: Child care centres are also present at the Amritsar airport. Often new mothers need private spaces to feed their infants and to change their diapers. Not to mention how the environment also needs to be hygienic. Hence, it is essential that they get a dedicated space that would allow them for the same. The airport's child care room also has some toys and hygienic ambience to help soothe the child.

Restaurants and cafes: A majority of the food establishments and restaurants at the Amritsar airport have Punjabi cuisine. Since the place is predominantly rich in Punjabi cuisine, much of the restaurants prevalent in the airport are also inspired by the same. However, the airport also has global food joints such as Burger King, KFC, McDonald's, to name a few famous ones.

Prayer rooms: There is a hall dedicated to prayers. The place is open for multi-faith and can be used for meditation as well. It is expected that people of all faith maintain decorum in the hall and not intervene with other faiths' practices.

Medical services: As it is imperative that every airport have medical facilities to ensure that emergency cases are handled, the Amritsar airport also has a devoted emergency medical station. You can get more details of the same at the information desk as well. In fact, in times of emergency, a medical team is immediately dispatched for assistance to the scene.

VIP lounge: VIP lounge and business facilities are also available. However, these can be found outside of the terminal building. The VIP lounges are only accessible for travellers who have the first-class ticket or have premium memberships. Various airlines have provisions of membership that allow them to benefit from the lounge.

Information centre: The information counter is an essential desk that is available at regular intervals. For any kind of query ranging from flights, schedules to gates and terminals, you can get help at the information desk. You can even make special requests such as to ask for extra trolleys or boarding pass copies (in case you lose yours), lost and found details and more. You will be able to get all your answers. Plus, the desk also gives you tour guides to the city at the arrival segment.

Luggage: The luggage services at Amritsar airport is quite good as they have trolleys and portage options available. You need to pay for portage though. A portage basically enables you to receive services of a professional, who will escort your luggage to the check-in or even till the security.

Top airlines flying from the Amritsar Airport

Amritsar has a limited set of Indian airlines that operate from the city. In fact, airlines from Amritsar Airport cater majorly to a few of the cities in North India. These include Delhi, Srinagar, Jaipur, Patna and more. Interestingly, aside from the North cities that Amritsar caters to predominantly, the airport also has services to other metro cities such as Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Ahmedabad. Domestic airlines flying from Amritsar Airport are Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara. The options are fewer as the connectivity is not spectacular. The airport doesn't connect to a lot of cities in Southern India. You will need to connect at New Delhi or Jaipur to get to the Southern cities of India.

Amritsar Airport does have good connectivity with cities in Central Asia. There are airlines that directly connect to the international cities of Central Asia, such as Ashgabat and Tashkent. Not many flights fly from Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport as a regional airport. However, it is still considered to be one of the fastest-growing. Amritsar Airport was considered to be one of the best airports with excellent international connectivity. There used to be a direct flight from Amritsar to Birmingham (United Kingdom) by Air India. A direct flight was also operational from Amritsar Airport to Kabul. However, these flights and airlines do not operate from the city anymore. Airlines flying from the Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport are AirAsia X, Air India Express, Malindo Air, Qatar Airways, Scoot, Turkmenistan Airlines and Uzbekistan Airways.

How to reach Amritsar Airport

Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport is perfectly connected to the National Highway 354. This route connects Amritsar and Ajnala. Through this route, you can take up car rentals and taxi cabs as a means to reach the Amritsar airport. Taxicab services such as Ola Cabs and Uber have good connectivity and services which help with the traversing. Since it is about 11 km away from the main city of Amritsar, it is essential that prebook the taxi cab services. Some taxi cab and prepaid taxi services are available at both the terminals. You can make prior bookings for an airport shuttle, or you can book them at the airport counter. One of the most convenient ways to reach Amritsar airport is the Amritsar MetroBus. It is also a favourable method to reach the airport as it is affordable and convenient. Some of the key features of the Amritsar MetroBus is that the bus is AC with automatic doors located at the metro stations. It is reserved for passengers only. The path has two diverse lanes which ensure the opposite movements of two buses traversing simultaneously. You will require a special Metro Smart Card to swipe and take advantage of the metro services. It works in the lines of Metro Rails where you need to recharge your cards and avail the services. The structures of the MetroBus stations are well-maintained and have modern infrastructure. You can make use of the Amritsar MetroBus with its scheduled buses to reach the Amritsar Airport.

  About Mangalore Airport

Mangalore International Airport serves as the second international airport in the state of Karnataka, aside from the Kempegowda International Airport of Bangalore. It is the second busiest airport in the state and serves to the coastal city of Mangalore in Karnataka. The Mangalore International Airport serves to domestic destinations as well as major Middle Eastern cities. The airport opened back in 1951 and was named as Bajpe Aerodrome. The former Prime Minister of Jawaharlal Nehru arrived at the Mangalore International Airport on a Douglas DC-3 aircraft. Located about 13 km away from the city centre of Mangalore, it is perched up a hilltop near Bajpe. The airport one of the three airports in India with a tabletop runway. Besides Mangalore, Calicut International Airport and Lengpui Airport are the only ones who have a tabletop runway. In 2012, the airport received its international stature after successful operations of Air India Express to and from Dubai. The Mangalore International Airport is known to charter flights for the Hajj pilgrims as well. The connectivity has been enhanced with flight services to major Middle Eastern cities, including Jeddah, Riyadh and more.

About Mangalore Airport Terminals

Mangalore International Airport has two runways and a single passenger terminal. However, for flights reserved for Hajj pilgrimage, the old terminal has been reserved. The terminal has recorded to be one of the biggest in the would accommodate about 34 million passengers in a year. The terminal has a ground level for arrivals as well as a first-level dedicated to departures. The terminal has the capacity to operate 26 domestic flights and about 52 international flights every week. An air traffic control tower has also been installed at the Mangalore International Airport. The first runway is made up of concrete. The second one is about 8,038 ft long and has acquired a taxiway that is parallel to the new runway. A route to connect the new terminal from the city has also been brought forth. This actually reduces the distance between the city centre and the airport by close to 8 km. An automated air traffic management system has also been incorporated at the airport that replaces the older inefficient system. The new system helps in providing flight safety, has direction finders and has perfect air-ground-data link alerts. This has been acquired to reduce the possibility of accidents on the runway.

About airport authority

Mangalore International Airport is owned and operated by the Airports Authority of India as well as Adani Group. Initially, the airport was owned and operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). However, much later, the project bid was acknowledged and won by Adani Group. Several projects to increase the passenger volume and construction of new passenger terminal have been in the works. The two parties are also working on the expansion of the Mangalore International Airport to enable safer means of landing and passenger accommodation. The airport does have a bad reputation for being one of the most unsafe airports in the country. This is due to multiple accidents that have happened at the runway. This includes the infamous 2010 accident of Air India Express Flight 812, Boeing 737-800. The flight en route Dubai-Mangalore succumbed to a runway mishap which resulted in the death of about 158 people with only eight survivors. The accident resulted in the delay of expansion plans as newer proposals were asked to be submitted to avoid more possible casualties. From various expansion plans by the two bodies, runway lengthening has also been worked upon.

Facilities at the Mangalore Airport

WiFi: Mangalore airport has good WiFi connectivity. The main idea behind providing the service is to make sure that the people are able to receive good network and continue with their work commitments from the airport. Often many business professionals use the time at the airport after check-in to work on some emails and other work that require connectivity. Hence, the demand for a WiFi has led to the airport ensuring good network. While you can enjoy free WiFi for 30 minutes, you will have to pay for services exceeding the time limit.

ATMs and currency exchange: Mangalore airport sees a lot of tourists and travellers returning from the Middle East. They are basically families and professionals who have been working in the Middle Eastern countries. Due to this, it is necessary to have a foreign exchange counter at the airport. The currency exchange services can be availed at the arrivals and departures. The airport also has ATM kiosks to help people withdraw money so they can travel within the city. You can find the ATM kiosks outside the airport and are majorly operated by Karnataka Bank.

Information desk: Having an information desk is of utmost importance at an airport. The Mangalore airport also has dedicated information desks located at various junctions. The desk caters to all the questions regarding the airport facilities such as flights, schedules, boarding gates and more. You can also learn about the necessary places within the airport, including the medical centre and the smoking zone. A tourist counter is also available at the Mangalore airport. You will find tour guides to help you peruse through your options on what to do in the city.

Restaurants and cafes: There are a handful of restaurants and cafes that are available at the airport. You might not find a lot of prominent joints, but the few famous ones such as McDonald's and Domino's are available at the airport. The airport also has small joints for snacks and coffeehouses.

Child care facilities: The airport has child care facilities too. The room is specifically built to give mothers and infants privacy for feeding and diaper changing. The room is kept clean and sanitized to avoid the child from contracting any bad disease. Not to mention the room is also made to be comfortable for the mother. There are diapers and other baby products also available at the child care room, in case the parent runs out of them.

Prayer rooms: A devoted prayer room is also available at the Mangalore airport. The space is reserved for travellers to engage in religious practices. It is a shared space and does not have specific rooms depending on the faith.

Smoking zone: The airport also has a smoking zone reserved. There are enclosed rooms and lounges where you can smoke. You are not allowed to smoke anywhere else in the airport terminal but the smoking lounges. They are available at all the terminals in the airport.

Luggage: In terms of luggage, quite a few services are available. From lost luggage counters to baggage wrapping counters, these facilities are available at the Mangalore airport. You can ask for a baggage wrap before the check-in. There is a separate counter that you should approach to wrap your luggage with plastic. The main reason why people opt to do this is to ensure that the baggage is safe from mishandling, theft and other concerns. The airport also has trolleys available for you to take your luggage around.

Postal services: There are postal services available at the airport. You can avail the services to post documents and important letters.

Medical services: The airport has medical aid and services also. All airports must have medical services as part of their facilities to deal with medical emergencies.

Top airlines flying from the Mangalore Airport

Mangalore Airport has both domestic and international terminals. However, they do not have the international airlines flying from the city. However, they do have domestic airlines that cater to international destinations. Domestic cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hubli, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi and Coimbatore are connected with the Mangalore Airport. The airport witnesses domestic airlines such as Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo and SpiceJet. Interestingly, some of the domestic airlines such as Air India Express and SpiceJet, have international cities connected. Mangalore airport does see decent passenger traffic. A majority of their flights are reserved for international trips to cities such as Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Bahrain. The Middle Eastern countries see a lot of demand from Mangalore as many opt for cities in those countries for professional opportunities.

How to reach Mangalore Airport

Mangalore International Airport is known to be the second busiest airport after Bangalore Airport in Karnataka. The airport is about 13 km from the city centre of Mangalore. The tabletop runway is very popular in the country as it is one of the few to have the specific-styled structure. The best way to reach Mangalore airport is by booking a taxi ride. There are prepaid taxis and fare taxis available near the airport and in the city as well. There are prepaid taxi booths and counters available at both the terminals. You can make your cab bookings at the airport itself. The cabs will directly drop you outside the airport and vice versa. There are bus services also that traverse from the city to the airport. The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has regular bus services from the airport and the Central Railway Station, making connectivity extremely convenient. There are no direct railway connectivity or stations close to the station. Hence, after the prepaid taxi, the bus is the second-best option to choose to reach Mangalore International Airport.