Terminal 1D not to be used for international flights: DIAL

NEW DELHI: No international operations will take place from IGI Airport’s terminal 1D. Airport management Delhi International Airport (P) Ltd ( DIAL) has written to Indigo Airlines, denying it permission to operate international flights from the domestic terminal.

With this letter a contentious issue has been put to rest; DIAL had started revamping the terminal for international operations even though the civil aviation ministry had expressed disapproval over the matter.

A DIAL spokesperson said: “In view of non-clearances from regulatory authorities, we are not in a position to commence international operations from terminal-1. At the same time, no additional arrangements are needed at T3 to accommodate additional flights. IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir will continue to operate their domestic frequencies out of T-1 D.”

Indigo is set to start international operations to Southeast Asia from September while SpiceJet already operates two daily flights to Kathmandu from Terminal 3.

The matter of allowing two airlines to operate their international flights from 1D had turned contentious over two issues. The three full cost carriers -- Air India, Jet Airways and Kingfisher -- whose entire operations are carried out from T3 had started raising objections on the cost benefits from operating out of 1D.

“Since T3 is a new terminal and has much better infrastructure, airlines have to pay much more for their operations from there as compared to 1D. Secondly, the cost of fuel is also about Rs 10,000 per kilolitre higher at T3 than at 1D. Because of this, the full cost carriers had started raising objections at the cost disadvantage and actually asked to have their low cost wings moved to 1D as well,” said ministry sources.

The second problem that a joint committee (Airports Authority of India and Directorate General of Civil Aviation ) anticipated in starting international operations from 1D was the space constriction at 1D.

“The terminal is too small for international operations. The partitioning would have eaten into the space for domestic operations which would have led to massive congestion. Of the six conveyor belts, two were being reserved for international operations . Four belts would not have been sufficient to cater to domestic flights,” said airport sources.

Even though no permission was granted for international operations, DIAL had already started revamping the terminal.