AI guards terminal, won't let others in

Serious differences have developed between Air India and the GMR group, which is modernising Delhi airport, with the state-owned carrier refusing to allow private airlines to shift to its departure terminal.

A few months ago, GMR-promoted Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) planned to shift JetLite (formerly Air Sahara), Air Deccan and SpiceJet from the congested Terminal 1B to Terminal 1A, which handles domestic departures of Air India (formerly Indian Airlines) and Kingfisher Airlines.

Air India refused, saying it needed space for its own expansion.

According to DIAL figures, both terminals have a capacity of handling 1,200 passengers per hour. While Terminal 1B controls around 1,700 passengers per hour, Terminal 1A manages only around 950.

But an Air India executive said: "Contrary to what might be the opinion, there is a lot of congestion in Terminal 1A. A huge amount of area is covered for visitors and only some area is left for the passengers. There is a shortage of departure gates and baggage-handling equipment. And since we are the largest airline at the airport, our case also has to be considered."

The impasse has put the ministry of civil aviation in a quandary, though it has not pressured Air India to agree to GMR's proposal.

Said a senior ministry official: "AI's refusal to let in other airlines is illogical because the move will cut their costs. We have already given directions to both parties to accommodate one more airline in the terminal."