Cafetaria woes: Some workers at Bengaluru Airport eat under aerobridge, other walk 25 minutes for meals

Blue-collar workers stationed at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), particularly at Terminal 2 (T2), are facing challenges when it comes to accessing proper meals during their shifts. As per a TOI report, over a hundred workers, including luggage loaders, shuttle bus drivers, and cleaners, are finding themselves without convenient food options on the airside of T2.

Mukesh Kumar, a baggage loadman at T2, shared his experience to TOI: "I eat before coming to work and my next meal is after returning home." A cafeteria situated near the tarmac offers only drinking water, while the main canteen of T2 is located outside the terminal, requiring a time-consuming 25-minute walk.

Similarly, the situation at Terminal 1 (T1) isn't much better. Although some workers have access to a small canteen set up by an airline, the main canteen in T1 remains out of reach due to clearance restrictions.


These workers often resort to avoiding meals during their shifts or bringing food from home. Some even dine under aircraft aero bridges and fire exits while waiting for their next duty. Occasionally, a baggage trailer is converted into a makeshift food cart, providing bulk food items. As per the report, the workers' predicament has persisted since the airport's inception in 2008.

Manjesh, a baggage loader with AirAsia, told ToI, "Apart from the trailer, CISF staff on duty regularly get tea and snacks for themselves and if there is something extra, we get lucky."

(All names of staff have been changed on request)