Amid never-ending ques for check-in and security check at the airport, there's hardly any time left to sit back and enjoy a good meal before boarding the flight. If you are a regular flyer, you'll understand the pain of waiting for hours to land at the destination and feed your hungry stomach. Though most of the airlines offer food on board, there are not many takers as the options are limited. It's infuriating to run past the horde of tempting eating outlets lining up the route to hurriedly catch the flight without picking your favourite food. But here's good news - this airport woe is soon going to be a thing of the past, at least at the Mumbai airport. Now you'll be able to order the food of choice before flying in or out of the airport.
Backed by 'GrabbnGo', Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) has launched a new service called 'Order Ahead', which allows flyers to pre-order their food that will be delivered at the boarding gate or can be self-picked on the way to the boarding gate. Now you can eat on-the-go or carry to the flight, whichever meal you want from the eateries located inside the airport, and no time will be lost.
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This unique initiative is expected to take off from June this year with the use of mobile apps under a single invoice and payment mode. If you don't want to download the app, you can still avail the service by scanning the QR codes at kiosks set up in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Not just this, the app also enables the travellers to locate their favourite stores in the vicinity and ordering in advance through their phones. You can pick the food at special express pickup counters of the eateries.
Many known brands have signed up for this endeavour, like - KFC, Burger King, Subway, Pizza Hut and many more. A spokesperson informed, "The stores would receive the order through their patented JITI (Just In Time Order) algorithm ensuring the passengers get their food fresh and hot irrespective of time of it was placed."
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He added that according to a recent study, more than 90 per cent of frequent flyers arrive/depart at odd hours, skip food at the airport due to tight schedules, resulting in long gaps between meals. This service is expected to enhance the offerings of the busiest airport of the country, which sees a footfall of around 40 million passengers every day.
(With Inputs From IANS)