Pvt airport firms form lobby to take up common issues

New Delhi: Five private airport operators, controlling 61% of the country’s passenger traffic, have joined hands to form a new association to lobby on common issues that they face as air traffic expands in the country.
The new industry lobby’s formation comes just ahead of a new airport regulator, Airports Economic Regulatory Authority, or Aera, becoming fully functional next month. A domestic airline grouping, Federation of India Airlines, has been in existence since 2006.
Joint effort: Delhi International Airport Ltd, which runs the Indira Gandhi International Airport, is one of the body’s five members. Madhu Kapparath / Mint
Joint effort: Delhi International Airport Ltd, which runs the Indira Gandhi International Airport, is one of the body’s five members. Madhu Kapparath / Mint
The Association of Private Airport Operators, or Apao, has been registered under the Societies Registration Act and is in the process of appointing staff.
“The purpose of the association is to support the activities and bring synergies between private sector, the government and the airlines to grow the aeronautics industry in India,” said C.G. Krishnadas Nair, managing director of Cochin International Airport Ltd, or Cial, India’s first private sector airport.
Apao members include Delhi International Airport Ltd and GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd, both controlled by GMR Infrastructure Ltd; GVK Power and Infrastructure Ltd-run Mumbai International Airport Pvt. Ltd, which makes for the country’s single largest airport with 22% of passenger traffic; Siemens Project Ventures GmbH-led Bangalore International Airport Ltd (6%) and Cial (3%). The GMR airports together account for 27% of passenger traffic in the country.
19/07/09 Tarun Shukla/Livemint

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Categories: Airports Jul 2009