Delhi airport aims to double capacity in 8 years, have dedicated terminals for airlines
India Today
The Delhi Airport is aiming to double its capacity before the end of this decade with four runways. It will also have dedicated terminals for mega airlines soon.
The Delhi Airport is planning to increase its flyer capacity and have dedicated terminals for big airlines soon. With this, it will become the first airport in India to have dedicated space for two major airline groups- Tata-owned Air India and Indigo.
A study conducted by UK-based air traffic management firm NATS revealed that the four runways at the Delhi Aiport can fly in and out 14 crore passengers as against 6.9 crore flyers before the end of this decade. At present, Delhi airport has three runaways and its fourth runaway, 4,400 metres long and 75 metres wide, will become operational in summer. The passenger capacity will be increased through the optimal utilisation of four runways.
Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) CEO Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, was quoted by TOI as saying, "We are moving towards having dedicated terminals for big airlines. The Terminal 1 expansion will be complete in 1.5 years and then all of IndiGo’s domestic flights will move there. T1 will be the terminal for budget airlines’ domestic flights. As of now, it will be only a domestic terminal." (sic).
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The CEO added that the NATS study has shown that the optimal utilisation of the four runways can lead to an airside capacity of 14 crore passengers annually. However, this will also need air traffic management techniques to safely handle more planes and other technical methods. He further added that the airport’s capacity can double from 6.9 crores in 2019 over the next few years.
As per the report, the T3 terminal will serve Tata group airlines- Air India, Vistara and AirAsia India and all the operations will be conducted from T3. Air airport insiders revealed that IndiGo, having nearly 300 planes and 500 an order, is keen to have its own dedicated terminal.
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