After years of dormancy in the commercial aviation sector, Bengaluru’s HAL Airport could see passenger flights return well before May 2033, when the existing exclusivity agreement with Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) operator BIAL expires.
The Karnataka government is urging Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) for a No Objection Certificate to facilitate the revival of the HAL airport. (Piyush Goyal/Twitter)
Discussions between the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Ministry of Civil Aviation, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), and BIAL are already underway, exploring the revival of the centrally located airport, reported the Deccan Herald. The state government has gone a step further, urging BIAL to issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) and even offering to cover potential financial losses.
HAL Airport, Bengaluru’s primary airport from 1941 to 2008, currently handles non-commercial flights. AAI's 10-year master plan envisions demolishing the current terminal by 2030 and replacing it with a modern facility, featuring a seven-storey parking lot, a commercial complex and road expansion around the terminal, the report stated.
The ownership and operational rights of the revamped airport are likely to be auctioned, with bidders expected to compete for control. Whether BIAL will participate remains uncertain.
Political support has also intensified. Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya said Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu is “extremely enthusiastic” and has already held multiple meetings on the matter. If BIAL and AAI arrive at a commercial agreement, the ball will start rolling, Surya said, as per the report.
Bangalore Central MP P C Mohan echoed the optimism, noting the civil aviation ministry’s support but citing unresolved concerns around connectivity between HAL and KIA. Until the state’s second airport proposal takes shape, reopening HAL could ease Bengaluru’s growing air traffic demand and bring flyers closer to the city once again.
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Home/Cities/Bengaluru News/Discussions underway to resume passenger flights at Bengaluru's HAL airport before May 2033: Report
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