Indigo, SpiceJet delay in shifting operations to T2 may affect Delhi airport expansion

The operator has prepared a master plan for the expansion of the Delhi airport, which will be implemented in three modular phases in the next 10 years – Phase 3A (2018-21), 3B (2021-25) and Phase 4 (2026 onwards), the a DIAL spokesperson.

The stalemate over shifting of partial operations of Indigo and SpiceJet from Terminal 1 (T1) to Terminal 2 (T2) might hit the overall expansion of the Delhi airport, a Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) official said.

The operator has prepared a master plan for the expansion of the Delhi airport, which will be implemented in three modular phases in the next 10 years – Phase 3A (2018-21), 3B (2021-25) and Phase 4 (2026 onwards), the a DIAL spokesperson. (Hindustan Times)

Terminal 1 handles 25 million passengers per annum against its capacity of 20 million passengers . In order to start the expansion work and double the terminal’s capacity, DIAL needs to first reduce the passenger traffic at T1 to 16 million per annum, said the official.

For this, DIAL had asked Indigo, SpiceJet and GoAir to shift some of its flight operations from T1 to T2. DIAL, the airport operator, spent Rs 100 crore for the renovation of T2 which was completed in January 2017.

GoAir will start operations in T2 from Sunday and Indigo and SpiceJet are likely to move only in January 2018.

The delay is because both the carriers are not willing to shift. While Indigo does not want to split its operations, SpiceJet told DIAL it would move only if other airlines shift, said an official from the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Asked what it plans to do if the carriers refuse to move, IP Rao, CEO of DIAL, said, “All of us are working for passengers’ convenience and we hope some sense will prevail.”

The operator has prepared a master plan for the expansion of the Delhi airport, which will be implemented in three modular phases in the next 10 years – Phase 3A (2018-21), 3B (2021-25) and Phase 4 (2026 onwards), the a DIAL spokesperson.

“Since T1 is operating beyond its capacity, the expansion will begin from there and cover the airside, terminal building and the city side,” the spokesperson added.

To get the airlines to operate from the new terminal, the civil aviation ministry had intervened but the talks remained inconclusive. Rao said any new flight of Indigo or SpiceJet would have to operate from T2 as T1 is overcrowded and cannot handle more flights.

According to the plan, the departure Terminal T1D and arriving Terminal T1C will be merged and expanded to accommodate 40 million passengers per annum. The modified T1 will have 22 aerobridges.

“We plan to increase the capacity of T1 and T3 and build a fourth runway in due course of time. As per the master plan, capacity of T1 will be increased from 20 million to 40 million and the capacity of T3 will be increased from 34 million to 45 million. The expansion would enable us to handle the steep rise of the passenger inflow at the airport,” Rao had said at a press conference in August.