Bangalore airport to go slow on expansion

Bangalore: Bangalore’s five-month-young airport, which was expected to have a dream take-off on the back of a phenomenal traffic growth during 2005-07, now seems to be going slow on its expansion plan in the face of a traffic decline.
“There has been a dramatic fall in monthly traffic for all airports in India since June 2008. We are currently conducting a study on the current trend and based on the results, which will be out in two-three months, we will take a decision on our next expansion plan,” the operator, BIAL, said in response to queries from Business Line.
Until a couple of months ago, its CEO, Albert Brunner, was hoping to take up a mezzanine expansion now and a larger Rs 3,500-crore phase 2 in early 2009 with a second terminal, pending the board’s clearance.
Traffic numbers, it said, reflected the overall slowdown across the country. Admitted to feeling the pinch, it said, “The overall annual growth of passenger volume [at Bengaluru International Airport] has dropped to 3 per cent since June 2008,” compared to an anticipated 8 per cent growth rate.
The Southern sector has been especially dented. “There has been a drop of approximately 15 per cent in the flights operating in the Southern sector from Bangalore since May 2008...” BIA said.
21/10/08 Madhumathi D.S/Business Line/Sify

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

Categories: Airports Oct 2008