Stalemate ends, IndiGo says will shift flights to Terminal 2

The airline said in a statement that it “deferentially accepts the decision of the apex court” and shall implement the order in the coming weeks, in close coordination with DIAL.

IndiGo Airlines said on Saturday it would comply with the Supreme Court’s order and partially shift its operations to Terminal 2 (T2) of Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International airport in the coming weeks.

On Friday, the apex court had rejected IndiGo’s plea challenging a Delhi High Court order to shift its some of its flights from Terminal 1 (T1) of the IGI Airport to Terminal 2 (T2). (Hindustan Times)

On Friday, the apex court had rejected IndiGo’s plea challenging a Delhi High Court order to shift its some of its flights from Terminal 1 (T1) of the IGI Airport to Terminal 2 (T2). It had given two weeks to Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) to work out the particulars of the shift, after which the airline will have 10 more days to move its operations.

The airline said in a statement that it “deferentially accepts the decision of the apex court” and shall implement the order in the coming weeks, in close coordination with DIAL.

“By its order dated February 23, 2018, the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India has declined to interfere with the judgment of the division bench of the Hon’ble Delhi High Court, which upheld the decision of Delhi International Airport Limited to shift one-third of IndiGo’s operations from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 of Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi,” the airline statement said.

“IndiGo has maintained consistently in all forums that shifting of only a part of its operations from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 would not only cause grave inconvenience and confusion among passengers, it will also reduce flight options for passengers connecting through Delhi. By virtue of the said order, IndiGo will be one of the only two airlines to operate from three different terminals of one airport,” it further stated.

T1 has a capacity of around 20 million passengers a year, but it was handling about 24 million passengers before GoAir shifted flights to T2. DIAL needs to reduce the passenger movement to 15 million in order to start expansion work at T1.

Terminal 2 was renovated to accommodate at least two of the three low-cost airlines operating from T1.