I thought flying out of Gaya Airport in Bihar would be simple. I was pretty wrong. Here’s everything that happened, step by step.
The Ride Over Was an Adventure Already
My flight was early morning. Got an auto-rickshaw at 4:30 AM thinking I was super smart. Hah. The driver seemed confused about the airport entrance. We circled this dusty road near the terminal twice before spotting the tiny sign. Paid him and dragged my suitcase towards what looked like the main door.
Inside Was… Crowded
Pushed through the door and bam! It felt like half of Bihar was trying to get out too. The check-in hall was packed. Lines? Forget lines. It was more like swarms of people around each airline counter. Found my airline – took about 10 minutes of wandering. Joined the ‘line’. Got elbowed. A lot.
Check-in tip: Have your ID ready. Like, really ready. The guy behind the counter barely looked up. Also, my bag was weighed twice because the scale flickered. Save yourself the argument; just pack light.
Security – Prepare Your Patience
Thought check-in was chaos? Security was a different level. Women’s lines were separate and seemed shorter. My guy line? Massive. Everyone tried loading belts, taking off belts and shoes, pulling laptops out – all at the same time. Chaos. The X-ray belt was super slow. Felt like I stood there forever, holding my breath. They checked my boarding pass like 3 times. Felt random. Just stood there waiting for someone to wave me through.
The Waiting Game
Finally airside! Relief lasted about two seconds. Finding a seat was a mission. Found one near Gate 1. Looked around. Not many shops. One sad-looking tea stall with a big queue. Bathrooms were… let’s just say functional. Needed to charge my phone. Found one socket. Exactly one. And a family of four huddled around it. Gave up.
What you need to know:
- Very limited seats near gates. Grab one fast.
- Don’t expect fancy cafes or lounges. One basic food counter maybe.
- Power outlets are like gold. Find one early or bring a power bank.
Boarding Time? More Like Free-For-All Time
They announced boarding. Look. Seriously. Suddenly, everyone, even people whose flights weren’t called for hours, rushed the gate area. Total bottleneck. Felt like a cattle crush. The staff shouted instructions nobody listened to. They finally boarded passengers with small kids and old people first. Smart, but tough to enforce. When my row was called? More shoving. Showed my boarding pass about four times before finally getting onto the bus to the plane.
Sitting down on that plane felt like winning a marathon.
So, Would I Fly Out of Gaya Again?
Honestly? Yes. But now I know. It’s small. It gets crowded, especially mornings. Things move slowly, sometimes randomly. Your paper ticket means nothing compared to your elbows and determination.
Big takeaways:
- Get there EARLY. Like, minimum 2.5 hours before domestic. Don’t risk it.
- Pack extreme patience. Lots of waiting, lots of crowds.
- Bring snacks, water, a book, and a FULL power bank. Seriously.
- Forget any idea of orderly lines. Be prepared to stand your ground.
It got me on my flight to Delhi. So, mission accomplished. But man, that Bihar airport hustle is real.
