Delhi's T3 Airport Starts Operations

Welcomes Indian Domestic Flights

New Delhi, Oct 15 : After missing two deadlines, the GMR Group-led Delhi International Airport (DIAL) would shift part of the domestic operation to the new terminal,T3, on October 30.

With this, air travellers flying by fullservice carriers -- Air India, Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines -- would have to drive a few more kilometres to catch their flights.

"The full-service carriers along with their low-cost arms will shift to the T3 on October 30," a senior DIAL official told FE.

The airport operator is expected to get 220 kva substation from Delhi Transco besides the required water supply from the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) ahead of the awaited shift.

"We should get everything (electricity and water line) in place in the next 15 days.The only concern is connectivity by Delhi Metro. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has said the airport line will start in the next 20 days but my feeling is it will take as many as 45 days" the official said.

The new airport expressline was expected to begin ahead of Commonwealth Games in the Capital which kicked off on October 3.

After the first phase of shifting domestic operations of full-service carriers,the low-cost airlines like SpiceJet and IndiGo are also proposed to be moved to the new terminal.

"Moving low-cost airlines to the T3 could take six to nine months. The actual timeline could, however, be given only by the airport operator," SpiceJet chief operating officer Samyukta Sridharan said.

DIAL is expected to take the review of its preparedness to shift low-cost airlines to the new terminal in February next year once the existing operations settle down.

Meanwhile, civil aviation ministry officials would meet the stakeholders shortly to take stock of the ground situation before shifting any domestic operation.

DIAL, a joint venture of GMR Group, Airports Authority of India, Fraport and Malaysian Airport, hasinvested about Rs 12,000 crore in upgrading the Delhi airport. The airport firm opened the brand new T3, a nine-level building completed in 37 months,for international flights in July this year.

The integrated airport building (T3) is claimed to be the world's fifth largest terminal in the world and capable of handling nearly 35 million passengers annually.

Source: Financial Express