AAI foresees more mid-air mess

New Delhi: India's already congested airports could get choked — at least till they are upgraded. Instead of handling 120 million passengers by the end of 2011-12, Indian airports — which are operating at more than full capacity — could have to grapple with 256.5 million air travellers by the end of March 2012, according to new statistics put together by Airports Authority of India.
But that's not the only change. Mumbai, the busiest airport in India, would soon be overtaken by Delhi. Once IGI gets a new runway and terminal this summer, more flights would come to Delhi as the Mumbai airport is now choking. GMR and GVK, the two groups modernizing the existing airports in Delhi and Mumbai, expect the aviation map to be redrawn by 2010.
AAI data also showed that domestic air travel is expected to see a higher growth of around 24%.
The other trend that emerged was a slower growth in aircraft movement — which is the number of landings and take-offs — than in passenger volumes handled. Aircraft movement is projected to rise nearly 17% between now and 2011-12, which pointed towards airlines seeing higher capacity utilization, estimated at less than 70%.
Alternatively, it could mean that airlines fly bigger aircraft to accommodate more passengers, while their load factors remained around the same level.
03/01/08 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

Categories: Airports Jan 2008, Indian Aviation- In General Jan 2008