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In terms of sheer size, quantum of investments and integration of passenger facilities, Delhi airport T3 is a big milestone for the aviation industry of the country. With 48 boarding gates, 78 aerobridges, 168 check-in counters, 95 immigration counters and capacity to handle 34 million passengers per annum, there is no match for T3. Direct metro connectivity and an airport hotel are added attractions.
The real story, however, is not T3. DIAL has demonstrated that it is possible to think of investments to the tune of $3 billion in an airport project in India and GMR has demonstrated that even massive projects like this can be executed on time. With the infrastructure ready, the big challenge now is to develop Delhi airport into an effective international hub. The Indian carriers which now fly abroad are Air India, Jet Airways and Kingfisher, to be shortly joined by SpiceJet.
Others like IndiGo and GoAir would also join the league as soon as they complete five years of domestic service. One of these carriers has to develop Delhi as its hub and this will be critical to the success of T3. With huge investments having gone in, commercial success of the terminal would be crucial for development airport infrastructure in India. Apart from GMR, others would also develop interest in pumping money into airports if T3 turns out to be a success.
To make Delhi a flourishing base, one of the big full-service carriers has to go big on the hub-&-spoke concept. Passengers from not just nearby locations like Jaipur, Chandigarh and Lucknow, but also other metros and even other countries should be drawn to Delhi for onward-flights to Europe, north America and south-east Asia.
06/07/10 G Ganapathy Subramaniam/Economic Times

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Categories: Airports Jul 2010, New Jul 2010