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  About Madurai

Touted to be one of the ancient cities in India, Madurai is especially recognised for its religious significance. The city has a lot of temples of which the Meenakshi Amman Temple is considered as the most important one. The temple also has a shrine for her consort, Sundareswarar. Madurai is also pretty close to hill stations like Kodaikanal, Thekkady, Munnar, Kumily and so on. Madurai is the perfect blend of natural beauty and heritage with a dash of urbanisation. It also plays a crucial role in preserving Tamil culture, Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam. People of Madurai are also known for celebrating all the key festivals with a lot of grandiose.

Best Time to Visit Madurai

Madurai is best visited during winters. The weather in Madurai is pleasant, and the city is buzzing with tourists and pilgrims. You can book a hotel room in Madurai closer to the Meenakshi Amman temple if that is your main purpose of the visit. Commuting in the city is not very difficult.

Winters in Madurai start from December and last till February. The temperature ranges from 20-29 degree Celsius. This is also when Pongal is celebrated across the city for three whole days. The harvest festival, that is celebrated across Tamil Nadu with a lot of grandeur, gets only better. However, since it is peak season, booking a hotel in Madurai can get a tad bit expensive. Do lookout for good flight deals to Madurai online. Since it is peak season, make sure you book your flight tickets to Madurai well in advance.

The city experiences monsoon from June to August and Madurai experiences very heavy rainfall. Though the rains add to all the beauty and charm of the city with the greenery, the climate is gloomy, and the rains stop you from venturing out.

March to May is summer in Madurai, and the temperature can rise up to 34 degree Celsius. Not only does it get hot, but the weather is quite dry, making it a less favourable time to visit the city. Since it is off-season, you will also find it easier to get cheap flight tickets to Madurai.

Places to Visit in Madurai

The Meenakshi Amman temple is one of the major tourist attractions in Madurai. A lot of tourists and pilgrims visit the temple throughout the year. The Amman temple is dedicated to Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva. According to mythology, Lord Shiva came to Madurai to marry Goddess Parvati, who was residing in a human form here and was called Meenakshi. Madurai is considered sacred primarily because it is believed to be the birthplace of the Goddess. Not only is the temple huge, but the architecture will leave you stunned. Adding to this is the divine feeling that you experience in the temple. Do not miss the morning and evening aarti at the temple. You can also embrace your spiritual side at the Saint Mary's Cathedral in Madurai.

Another magnificent place to visit is the Thirumalai Nayak Palace which was built in the 17th century. It was built by King Tirumala Nayaka who was a King then. The Jain Caves is yet another top-rated tourist attraction in Madurai. You can also explore the Thiruparankundram Murugan temple dedicated to Lord Murugan, the eldest son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. It's a beautiful temple and a masterpiece in every way. While you are in this part of the city, do also visit the Pazhamudhir Solai. This is easily one of the best places to spend with yourself in solitude.

Meghamalai and Samanar Hills are also two popular locations in the city. You can go hiking to one of these mountains and reach a spot from where the entire city looks absolutely breathtaking. It's the perfect getaway from all the city hustle-bustle. Make sure you go to these places during the right season. You'll even be able to take the best pictures of yourself and nature over here.

Things to do in Madurai

The Meenakshi Amman temple is a must-visit when you are in Madurai. The queue can be pretty long depending on what time you visit the temple. Not to mention, you will also have to adhere to a few rules like wearing traditional clothes and not carrying your phones, cameras or gadgets inside the temple. It is believed that the kumkum you get after offering your prayers here is auspicious and blesses your marital life. After visiting the temple, you can stop by Puthu Mandapam, which is right opposite the temple. It is a popular place to shop for clothes, accessories, handicrafts and different kinds of art work. Go for a hike at the Samanar Hills and make sure you also stop by the Jain Caves. You might come across the Keelakuilkudi village that is famous for its Jain sculptures and painted mud horse collection.

Madurai is pretty close to the Vaigai Dam, and a lot of tourists visit the dam when they go to the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary since it is on the way. It is one of the architectural marvels in the city and a very popular picnic spot, too. The sunset here is simply mesmerising. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu is the Alagar Kovil, recognised for its exquisite beauty. It will make you want to spend at least 10 minutes in solitude to just admire it. If you are visiting Madurai during the Chithirai Festival, you must definitely attend it. The locals celebrate the festival for over a month, and you can also be a part of the ceremonies that take place to celebrate the marriage of Goddess Meenakshi to Lord Shiva, who is worshipped at Sundareswara here.

Food and Restaurants in Madurai

Even though Madurai is a city that has a lot of religious importance, you will find restaurants in the city that serve non-vegetarian food, a little away from the temples. Of course, you can blindly trust and have the traditional South Indian food like Idlis and Dosas here. But Madurai is known for delicacies like Paruthi Paal, Jigarthanda, Kuzhi Paniyaram and Appam. Jigarthanda is a very popular beverage here, and you'll find it almost everywhere. You can even try some outside the Meenakshi Amman temple. Just a few streets away from the Amman temple is Murugan Idli Shop. You'll get the fluffiest, most delicious idlis here with four different types of chutneys. You can also order the Onion Uttapam and Sweet Pongal here. You can also head to Kodaikanal from Madurai since it is not very far from here. Ooty is quite far by road, but you can make a trip to Ooty, too, if you have the time and if you are planning the trip during winter. Both the hill stations are worth visiting during the cold season. You'll get buses and taxis to Kodaikanal very easily from Madurai. You might have to negotiate the fare a little bit if you are taking a private taxi from Madurai.

The Burmah Idiyappa Kadai is a local eatery that serves Idiyappam only. There is no seating here, but the outlet sees a lot of customers on a regular basis. The Idiyappams are served with tomato chutney and sweetened coconut milk. Chandran Mess at the Alagar Kovil main road is another popular restaurant that you can visit. Its speciality is Kola Urundai or mutton balls. It is owned by a family that overlooks everything that goes into making the best dishes. Not only do they grind their masalas using a mortar pestle like the olden days, but the members of the family also supervise the kitchen at all times. You will also find a lot of restaurants that serve other Indian dishes, Chinese and Continental cuisines, too.

How to reach Madurai (Transportation)

By Air

The nearest airport is Madurai Airport, which is about 10 km away from the city. The airport connects Madurai to domestic routes in the city like Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Delhi. The flight connectivity from Madurai to these cities within the country is excellent. However, the nearest international airports are the Coimbatore International Airport and Tiruchirappalli International Airport. You can either change flights from these airports or take a taxi from outside the airport. You will also get taxis from Madurai airport to your hotel or wherever you wish to go first.

By Rail

Trains run regularly to and from Madurai Junction. Trains run quite frequently from the city, and it is also well-connected to other major cities in the country. It is advisable that you make your ticket bookings done well in advance during summer since it is a holiday season and a lot of people travel to Madurai for the summer vacation with their families and kids. In any case, booking tickets in advance will help you find better coaches.

By Road

There are quite a few buses, both government-run and private, that are connected to Madurai. You will also get buses from Madurai to other major cities of Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states. Getting around the city and to the city by road is also quite convenient. The NH 44 is a popular route to Madurai.

  About Air India Express

Air India Express is a recognised low-cost airline subsidiary of India's national flag carrier airline Air India. The airline's headquarters is located in Kochi, Kerala. All the operations of Air India Express are carried under Air India Express Limited. In total, Air India Express operates about 649 flights in a week to over 33 destinations in the domestic routes and international routes. The airline has recorded to carry close to 4.3 million passengers in a year to about 140 city pairs. Along with Kochi, the airline's second hub is also in Kerala's Kozhikode. Operations of Air India Express commenced in 2005 when it launched three flights that took off from three of Kerala's cities, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Kochi. The main idea behind introducing the low-cost carrier was to bring forth convenient connectivity for short-haul international routes such as the Middle East and Southeast Asian cities. The airline mainly catered to the expatriate community of India settled in these countries. With a surge in the popularity of low-cost carrier, Air India also joined the bandwagon by introducing Air India Express as its response to the world. Air India Express also caters to domestic routes of Indian cities along with short-haul international cities.

The airline enjoys a decent six per cent market share in its origin country, India, while also receives a 13.3 per cent market share in the India - Gulf travel market. In 2016, the airline announced that they had earned a net profit for the first time since its genesis. Accounts of the same suggest that Air India Express made a net profit of about USD 51 million (INR 361.68 crore) in the financial year 2015-16 against a registered loss of INR 61 crore, recorded in the same financial year. In the same year, the airline witnessed a surge in passenger load factor, which stood at 82.3 per cent, as opposed to the 81.4 per cent recorded in the previous year. The daily aircraft activities also increased from 10.8 hours to 11.3 hours following a surge in demand for the airline. It managed to carry about 2.80 million passengers in the financial year 2015-16.

In 2016-17, the airline witnessed yet another year of profit with its net revenue standing at USD 42 million (ISD 296.7 crore). The total revenue also saw growth with the amount adding up to USD 470 million (INR 3,335 crore). The average aircraft activities recorded also witnessed a spike from 11.3 hours to 12.2 hours daily. Capacity offered by Air India Express further enhanced as it went up to 33 per cent. Significant changes and progressive increase in the fleet size was also witnessed. From 17 aircraft, the airline roped in a few more aircraft to bring its fleet size to a total of 23. In 2018, the airline yet again announced a net profit of USD 37 million (INR 262 crore), making it a hattrick for the airlines.

Fleet size of Air India Express

As of 2020, Air India Express' fleet size stands at 25 which only consists of Boeing 737-800s. The Boeing 737 Next-generation or commonly referred to as 737NG or 737 NextGen, is a narrow-body aircraft that is powered by two engines and is produced by the parent company, Boeing Commercial Airlines. The same was launched in 1993 as a third-generation derivative to the Boeing 737. The aircraft offers several perks and upgrades such as a larger wing with a wider wingspan and better fuel capacity with higher maximum take-off weights. The aircraft is also equipped with CFM International CFM56-7 engines along with a glass cockpit and an upgraded interior configuration and layout. The modern aircraft is both, economically efficient and ecologically sound for the operations of Air India Express. They are perfect for short and medium-haul flights and have hence, been used by the airline for its operations.

Baggage Allowance

Air India Express' baggage allowance varies from the international cities it caters to. For hand baggage, the airline allows a maximum weight of 7 kg that can be carried in the cabin. The weight includes duty-free shopping bags as well. The total dimension of the baggage should not exceed 115 cm and is free of cost per passenger. It is essential for such bags to fit under the seat in front of the passenger or in the overhead bin. Along with the 7 kg hand baggage, Air India Express also allows an additional piece of bag that could include a handbag or a laptop bag. In case the baggage allowed as hand luggage exceeds the weight as stated by the airline, then extra charges will be applied. The airline does recommend the passenger to carry only valuable articles in the hand luggage. Often when the hand luggage exceeds the weight specified by the airline, the passenger is requested to check-in the bag.

As for checked baggage, Air India Express allows the passengers to carry about 40 kg for adults and children while baggage of infants can weight up to 10m kg. These are the weight requirements for first class passengers. The business class passengers are allowed to carry about 35 kg weighing baggage. The economy class passengers are allowed to carry 25 kg weighing bags. The weight, as stated by the airline, should not be exceeded by the passenger. Excess baggage weight will attract tariffs levied by the airline at the airport. Not to mention how the dimensions of the baggage are crucial. The checked baggage cannot have a dimension exceeding 158 cm. Additionally, you are allowed to purchase extra weight for the baggage that can be found at the airport's check-in counter. While both the classes do not offer special baggage for travellers with infants, they do allow the carrying of one extra handbag to cater to the needs of the baby's products.

In-flight services

As part of their in-flight services, Air India Express brings exquisite facilities such as comfortable leather seats with legroom. Passengers can also choose a seat ahead of the journey on the airline's website. Further, seat preferences can be chosen while booking an Air India Express flight too. The hospitality experienced on an Air India Express flight is top-notch as the trained staff are very friendly and accommodating. There are provisions to help out passengers travelling with kids as well. One can request for noise-cancelling headphones and further enjoy the in-flight meals catered by the airlines. The food on Air India Express flights is truly a revelation and something that many passengers have affirmed.

Popular routes and top cities for Air India Express

The airline's network to a majority of Gulf destinations includes about 33 cities and service of 649 flights in a week. Air India Express' low-cost flights can be availed by travellers who take up some of their flights such as Air India Express Dubai, Air India Express Doha, Air India Express Kuwait, Air India Express Riyadh, Air India Express Abu Dhabi, Air India Express Salalah and more. They are perfectly connected with Indian airports on the West coast of the country. As for its Southeast Asian operations, the airline has phenomenal connectivity as well. Air India Express Singapore services enable network connectivity to cities in the South India such as Chennai, Madurai, Kochi, Trichy and Coimbatore.

As of 2020, Air India Express provides flight services to international cities such as Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Doha and Kuwait City, to name a few. The domestic route connections of Air India Express is just as impressive. It caters to many metropolitan as well as small cities in the country.

Why travel by Air India Express?

Air India Express is a low-cost carrier that enables cheap and affordable flights to passengers. The airline offers an array of the domestic route and international route connections which help make it a viable option for many travellers. Not just the connectivity but even the in-flight services experience on Air India Express is quite decent. Although, as low-cost carriers, not a lot of world-class in-flight services can be enjoyed, the airline still brings the best facilities to offer a comfortable journey to its passengers. With the growth in its popularity, the airline has also enabled several new features that help travellers pick the said airline for their journey. These include receiving a dedicated Air India Express flight schedule on the airline's website, facilities of web check-in for passengers, learning more about the flight status, to name a few.

Further, you can also book an Air India Express flight from various online travel portals as the option is available on all sites. You might even receive some benefits and combo offers that cannot be missed out. If these are reasons enough for you to pick Air India Express, then there is always the flexibility to choose from a first-class, business class and economy class comfort. The airline's flights do accommodate these cabins and are ideal for passengers who wish to get the comfort and space that an economy class might not provide.

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  About Madurai Airport

The Madurai Airport is touted to be a customs airport that majorly serves the city and its neighbouring districts in Tamil Nadu. It is located close to State Highway 37, which is about 12 km from the Madurai railway station. The airport stands at the 32nd position as the busiest airport in India. This includes in terms of passenger handling as well as aircraft movement. Established in 1957, the airport was originally used as an airfield by the Royal Air Force of the British during the Second World War, back in 1942. Later after independence from the British, the airport chartered its first passenger flight which was a Fokker Friendship aircraft that followed the Madras - Madurai - Trivandrum - Madurai - Madras route. This took place in 1956. The airport soon found recognition for being one of the 35 non-metro airports chosen for modernisation. Much recently, the airport received a revamp from the government as a new integrated terminal building was constructed. Madurai airport also has international flights that fly to Malaysia and Sri Lanka.

About Madurai Airport Terminals

The Madurai Airport has two terminals placed in an adjacent direction to connect the old and the new unified terminal. The integrated terminal is presently being used for all domestic and international activities. Meanwhile, the old terminal has been reserved as a Cargo Terminal. The growth in the demand for flights to and from the Madurai International Airport, there are plans to separate the two terminals into individual domestic and international. The terminal with the area of 189,000 ft has the capacity to handle about 250 passengers on arrival and departure. The airport's parking bay can accommodate 375 cars and ten buses. The new terminal also includes features such as 16 check-in counters along with 12 immigration booths. There are two security counters, too, with five customs counters. The new terminal also entertains two lounges for passengers, a VIP lounge managed by AAI and a CIP lounge (Commercial Important Persons) handled by the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry. There are three aero-bridges too.

About airport authority

The Madurai Airport is owned and operated by the Airports Authority of India. The AAI is a statutory body that ensures to handle the infrastructural development, maintenance and management of various airports, including the Madurai Airport. Much recently, the airport proposed to create a new terminal building specifically for the Madurai International Airport, as the airport has been witnessing an increase in passenger traffic. The new building will also have a control tower and plans to erect seven new aprons at the Madurai Airport. This is due to the airport's current capacity to handle only 250 passengers at their arrival and departure halls at once. A proposed site is going to extend the runway to 12,500 ft, enabling the efficient functioning of overseas services. Work to extend the airport has already begun with plans to disconnect the Ring Road at the Mandela Junction and divert the route to Perungudi and Avaniapuram, which would eventually connect to the Tuticorin Road.

Top airlines flying from Madurai Airport

Madurai Airport is one of the small airports in the state of Tamil Nadu. As the airport does have two adjacent terminals, one is for the domestic, and the other is for international airlines. There are only two international airlines that fly from Madurai Airport. The Srilankan Airlines, which flies to Colombo–Bandaranaike and SpiceJet, which flies to Dubai-International, are both available at the Madurai airport. Air India Express also has a flight to Singapore, available at Madurai Airport. Aside from these three airlines with cities to international connections, the rest of the airlines are domestic. Domestic airlines such as Air India, Air India Express, Alliance Air, IndiGo and SpiceJet, fly from the Madurai Airport. The airlines connectivity is a little limited as they only fly to cities such as Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Tiruchirapalli and Hyderabad.

Facilities at Madurai Airport

Airport lounge – The airport has a few lounges including a retiring room for passengers who are waiting due to a layover. Madurai Airport also has a lounge called the Golden Chariot Lounge. It is essential for passengers to get access to hang out at the lounge space. The same can be availed through membership programs.

Foreign exchange – The foreign exchange counters are available at the arrivals of the international terminal. The counters have been placed to enable passengers travelling from abroad to exchange currencies and even make money transfers.

Restaurants and cafes – There are a few restaurants and cafes available in the premise of the airport. There is a dedicated food court present in the departure while the arrivals section has small food joints. These include some local food establishments which service tea, coffee and other beverages. Similarly, the airport also has restaurants and joints such as Subway, KFC, to name a few.

Baggage – Madurai Airport provides excellent baggage services. These include provisions of trolleys, baggage wrapping services and storage facilities. As Madurai Airport has flights connecting to domestic and international destinations, they have proper facilities to help ease the transit. You can get your bags wrapped in plastic. This would ensure that the luggage is not mishandled or the contents are affected. Trolleys are available at all intervals until the security check.

Smoking room - Smoking is prohibited in the airport, and hence, the airport has installed dedicated smoking lounges. The smoking room is available in the domestic terminal's Gate 6. Lighters and cigarettes can also be found at the terminal.

ATMs - ATM kiosk of Indian Bank has been placed in the airport's entrance. As the airport caters to domestic and international flights, the ATM kiosks would help withdraw money and exchange currencies.

Medical services - In order to help out with emergencies, the airport has installed medical rooms and services. There are first aid centres in the airport and details on the same can be received at the airport. The terminal manager would be the best to guide the passenger through the process. Pharmacies are also installed at Madurai Airport to help with last-minute medical purchases.

Special assistance - Madurai Airport provides special assistance for passengers who need the same. There are trolleys and wheelchairs available at the airport that the passenger can avail. In fact, it would be best to inform the airline beforehand to avail the services. The airport will provide staff to help passengers travel within the airport and even help them with the check-in and security check procedures.

How to reach Madurai Airport

Madurai Airport has excellent connectivity with buses operated under the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC). There are many routes that directly connect to the Madurai airport. In fact, Madurai Airport is known to be one of the few airports in the country that has dedicated government transport services to enable connectivity. Within the city, you will find bus stops with regular buses to help reach Madurai Airport. You can find them at the Periyar Bus Stand, Thirupparankundram, Arappalayam, Krishnapuram Colony, Mattuthavani and Park Town. Plus, these buses have services at the most convenient timings. It is considered to be one of the best ways to reach Madurai Airport.

Another convenient way to reach Madurai Airport is by hailing a taxi. Prepaid taxis are available in the city. The city of Madurai has prominent call taxi services that operate within the city as well as to the airport. These taxis also have services that traverse to neighbouring cities from Madurai. Auto-rickshaws are also considered to be one of the easiest and affordable means of transport to reach Madurai airport. They are widely available within the city to the airport. However, the only concern here is to ensure that you can haggle with the rickshaw. The auto rickshaws do not function on the meter system, so a fixed price needs to be agreed upon with the drivers before you start the journey.

About Madurai

Formerly known as Madura, the city of Madurai is recognised as one of the major cities in the state of Tamil Nadu. In fact, it is actually known to be a cultural capital of the state and is the third largest city after Chennai and Coimbatore. Madurai is also known to be the hub for Tamil Sangam, a congregation of Tamil scholars which is held in the city on an annual basis. Madurai has seen some flourishing history with several big empires taking leadership. The city was ruled by Pandyas, Madurai Sultanate, Madurai Nayaks, Cholas, Vijaynagar Empire and British East India Company, to name a few.

The city's major highlight is the famous Meenakshi Temple as well as the Tirumalai Nayak Palace. These two historical monuments have played a vital role in shaping the cultural heritage of the city. Apart from the historical sites, Madurai also has essential educational institutes run by the government. Madurai Medical College, Madurai Law College, Homeopathic Medical College and Agricultural College and Research Institute are some of the important educational institutes.