HAL airport has many options

Sources close to HAL's top management said HAL was playing a wait and watch game to see whether there could be any chance for commercial operations to re-start.
Aviation sources said: "If HAL does not get a second chance, it has multiple options before it."
Top on the list would be: give it a complete makeover, to turn it into a key defence establishment. Other than that HAL could use its base to operate helicopter services related to regional tourism, medical tourism and inter-city services.
"These are exciting options before HAL, from which a lot of revenue could be generated,"said sources. The airport operation of HAL used to rake in Rs 700 crore annually.
Also, HAL would look to strengthen its flight training school by making Bangalore a major hub to train and teach and breed pilots.
Not to mention HAL's plans for operating an MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul facility). But sources indicate that as airlines would prefer having an MRO facility at their terminating destination; it is likely that they would prefer an MRO at the new Bengaluru International Airport.
Barely a quarter ago, there was talk about the possibility of HAL converting its terminal into a mall. However security concerns over having a mall in close proximity to a defence base have put the plans on the back-burner.
29/05/08 Anshul Dhamija/Times of India

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Categories: Airports May 2008