The operator of India’s busiest hub, Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International airport, is back to the drawing board to figure out ways to manage the increasing international traffic effectively. With the imminent closure of T2 following the expansion of T1 later this month, Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) CEO Videh Kumar Jaipuriar announced on Friday that all options were being considered. These included assigning dedicated terminals to airlines, with IndiGo and Air India having substantial fleet orders, or segregating terminals based on international and domestic flights, he said.
“Our current capacity (T1 + T2 + T3) is approximately 10.4-10.9 crore passengers annually (CPA), of which 2.2 crore are international, with only T3 handling overseas flights. Last year, we managed just under 2 crore international passengers and are now facing a capacity crunch. Given that international traffic is growing at 8-10% annually and domestic-international transfers are on the rise, we need to expand our capacity for international flights,” Jaipuriar stated at a CAPA event on Friday.
In the short term, two options that can be implemented within 6-12 months are being considered: converting T2 to an all-international terminal or transforming a domestic pier in T3 to handle international flights. No definitive decision has yet been made regarding which path will be taken, he mentioned.
This initiative, which extends the already existing service for domestic travellers, allows international passengers to check in their baggage at these metro stations. This service is designed to benefit outstation travellers, enabling them to explore the city without the burden of their luggage. Once checked in, the baggage is securely transferred to the aircraft using advanced automated systems set up by DMRC and DIAL.
“The transition from T2 to the expanded T1 will occur in phases, starting after we receive security clearance later this month. We plan to complete this process within two months, with approximately 15-day intervals between each phase,” he said.India’s largest airline, IndiGo, has reportedly expressed concerns over this arrangement, as it would result in all its international flights operating from T3 and all domestic flights from T1, once the transition from T2 is complete. Conversely, the AI Group, according to IndiGo, will operate both international and most domestic flights from T3. “The entire burden of transferring passengers between the distant T1 and T3 will fall on IndiGo when T2 closes. We have proposed to DIAL either to shift us entirely to T1 by adding an international wing there or to allow us to operate some domestic flights from T3,” sources familiar with the matter disclosed. Jaipuriar did not comment on this issue.In preparation for the transfer of passengers between T1 and T3, DIAL is planning to use buses for city-side transfers in the absence of an air train or automated people mover (APM). “We are focusing on airside transfers of baggage for passengers connecting flights within the same airline group. For instance, passengers traveling from Patna to Istanbul via Delhi on IndiGo will not need to reclaim their bags at T1 for the domestic to international leg of their journey. For returns, when customs clearance is required, we are collaborating with government agencies to streamline the process,” Jaipuriar said.
To accommodate transfer traffic, DIAL is constructing a hotel outside T3 and is exploring the possibility of a similar setup at the car park outside T1.
Part of Delhi Airport complex and undergoing significant expansion by Bharti Reality, Aerocity, meanwhile, is becoming a destination in its own right. “We now see people flying into Delhi, staying at an Aerocity hotel for meetings, and then flying back home, sometimes on the same day. The hotels here are experiencing 90% occupancy. With the retail space set to expand from 18 lakh square feet to 3 crore square feet, Aerocity is becoming a major commercial hub,” Jaipuriar said.
