After what felt like an Olympic swim from Dubai, I found myself in Bengaluru, waiting for my next flight to Chennai. My plan? A quick hop on Air India Express to reposition for a couple of SriLankan Airlines flights. But before we get into that, I had a mission—to check out Bengaluru’s brand-new “Terminal in a Garden.”
A Late-Night Arrival and the Hunt for Coffee
I landed at 1:38 AM and needed to survive until my 7:35 AM flight. After a much-needed shower at the arrivals lounge (highly recommend), I was ready to explore this stunning new terminal. But first—coffee. At that ungodly hour, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf was my best friend.
Bengaluru’s Terminal 2, which opened in September 2023, is being hailed as one of the most beautiful airport terminals in the world. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the same firm behind One Bangkok, the terminal is all about integrating nature into the passenger experience. They nailed it—well, almost.
A Terminal That Feels Like a Jungle Until It Doesn’t
The moment you step inside, you’re greeted with lush greenery, traditional Indian materials, and an architectural mix of brutalism meets Babylonian gardens. The ceilings are made of cross-laid bamboo, giving the space a warm, organic feel. At night, with all the lighting, it’s absolutely stunning.
But here’s where it gets weird. After walking through the terminal, you suddenly hit an overwhelming number of high-end restaurants. Like… why so many? I genuinely can’t think of another domestic terminal with this many sit-down dining options. Not bad, just surprising.
Tucked among these eateries is the Zero Eight Zero Lounge—massive, well-designed, and offering a solid breakfast spread. My personal favorite? The retro-modern wooden benches, giving serious old-school train station vibes.
Meet Air India Express: A Tale of Two Airlines
Before heading to my gate, let’s talk about Air India Express, my ride to Chennai. If you’re confused about what this airline actually is, don’t worry, so was I at first.
Here’s the 10-second history lesson:
- Tata Group, the original owner of Air India, ended up owning four different airlines.
- They decided that was too many, so they merged them into two.
- One of those two airlines became the new Air India Express, a fusion of the original Air India Express and AirAsia India.
- They now operate a mixed fleet of A320s and 737s, but in the future, it’ll be all 737 MAX aircraft (155 on order).
The airline primarily operates shuttle routes between South India and the Middle East, catering to migrant workers. But they also do domestic hops like mine.
From a Stunning Terminal to a Not-So-Stunning Bus Gate
Now, remember how this terminal is supposed to “connect passengers to nature” at every stage? Well, apparently, that vision didn’t apply to the bus gates. After all that stunning architecture, the boarding area felt rushed. Like, did they run out of budget at the last minute?
We boarded a few minutes behind schedule and took a remote stand. But hey, I had my trusty exit row seat—always worth the extra effort.
In-Flight Experience: Short, Sweet, and Surprisingly Good Food
This was a 165-mile hop, so I wasn’t expecting Emirates-level luxury. The cabin was your typical AirAsia/VietJet setup—basic but totally fine. I did find it funny that despite several empty rows, someone was assigned the middle seat next to me. Who does that?!
Now, one of my favorite things to do is pre-order my meal when I book a flight and then forget what I ordered—so it’s always a surprise when it arrives. This time? An Herb Roast Vegetable Roll, served with a lychee juice drink and water. It looked unimpressive but actually tasted decent—a pleasant surprise.
Touchdown in Chennai
Before I knew it, we were descending into Chennai, and wow—what a beautiful morning it was. Would I fly Air India Express again? For a short hop like this—absolutely. For anything longer? That remains to be seen.