Ahmedabad airport to have Airbus 380 parking facility

In preparation for the arrival of the Airbus 380, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) will be setting up a separate parking facility at the Ahmedabad airport for the jumbo aircraft. In all, AAI will be developing parking facilities for around six wide-bodied aircraft, including one for Airbus 380.

Explaining the need for a parking facility for Airbus 380, SD Awasthi, director, AAI Ahmedabad airport said, "Ahmedabad is a diversion airfield for both Delhi and Mumbai airports and several flights are diverted during emergencies. Since the first supply of Airbus 380 is expected to arrive by 2010, we are developing a parking facility here in advance."

For constructing parking facilities for all the six wide-bodied aircraft like Airbus 380, Airbus 340, Airbus 330, MD10, Boeing 747 and others, the authority has set aside an investment of around Rs 11-12 crore and will soon be inviting tenders. Awasthi expects the work to be completed by October.

In its recent 12th anniversary celebrations, AAI had announced an investment of Rs 400 crore earmarked for the Ahmedabad airport, which included constructing a new domestic arrival and departure building, a new international terminal building and an extension of the runway by 500 ft, among other things.

AAI will also be increasing the existing apron for providing parking bays for more aircraft. At present, the airport has a common bay for international and domestic flights with a capacity of 13 aircraft. The authority is expecting to raise it up to 33, with separate parking bays for 16 international flights and 17 domestic flights.