Meanwhile, the opening of the new airport which was supposed to happen on May 11 has been further deferred to till the last week of May.
"We have spoken to BIAL executives and asked them to consider keeping the existing airport open, at least in a limited way such as for small aircraft operations," said Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel while talking to reporters after a meeting with the executives of the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL).
Patel said that smaller aircraft operators were exempt from landing and parking charges and hence BIAL would not lose revenue, even if such aircraft did not operate from the new airport.
The meeting with BIAL executives was held in accordance with the Karnataka High Court's recent advice to the government to give a second look at the concession agreement with the private developers which says that the existing airport at Bangalore should be shut down after the new one becomes operational. The order was passed after hearing three public interest litigations filed in favour of the continuance of commercial operations at the old airport.
