Government rejects security approval of Noida Airport CEO

Aviation security regulator Bureau of Aviation Security (BCAS) has rejected the security approval of Christoph Schenellmann, CEO of Noida International Airport as is a foreign national and this falls afoul of aviation security norms for greenfield airports.

A 2011 order by the aviation security regulator mandates that the CEO of any greenfield Indian airport shall be the security co-ordinator at the respective airports and shall be responsible for coordinating the implementation of security measures.

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Director General of BCAS Rajesh Nirwan didn’t respond to queries on the topic.

The airport which is owned by Zurich Airport group has to appoint an Indian as new CEO for flights to commence, a senior government official said. Schnellmann, who is a Swiss citizen, has been in charge of the airport and has been leading the project since 2020.

Zurich airport won the bid to build and operate the airport for 40 years in 2019 has invested around Rs 7,200 crore in the first phase and it is important for the company that flights start soon.

The airport is the first case where a foreign investor owns 100% equity in the airport.

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In March the airport received its aerodrome license from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), but its security programme (ASP) is currently under review by BCAS.

Noida airport said that it was working closely with the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) to secure approval for the Aerodrome Security Programme (ASP).

“Following this, we will coordinate with all stakeholders to finalise timelines for the commencement of commercial operations. Our efforts are focused on ensuring that all systems, processes, and personnel are fully aligned to deliver a safe, efficient, and seamless start of operations,” a spokesperson of the company said.

While billed as a second airport to Delhi’s Indira Gandhi international Airport, it is around 75 kilometers away from the capital and is more likely to get flyers from the western region of Uttar Pradesh in the first few years.

“The airport will benefit a vast region encompassing Agra, Mathura, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Etawah, Bulandshahr, and Faridabad and will bring numerous new opportunities for the farmers, small and medium enterprises, and the youth of western Uttar Pradesh, “ Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while inaugurating the airport.

"Aircraft will fly from here to the world, and this airport will also become a symbol of a developed Uttar Pradesh taking flight,” he said.