Cruising_Heights_Special_April_2011

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CRUISING HEIGHTS www.cruisingheights.in

April 2011 ` 90

S pe c ia l I ssue

AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL

AIRPORTS

UPDATE

SXR*

COH

AJL

JAI IXA

RPR BBI TIR MAA TRV

IXZ*

Seamless connectivity Fly out of top-of-the-line airports to the furthest corners of the country and anywhere in the world.

Made possible by

*SXR: Srinagar and IXZ: Port Blair are two among the country’s numerous airports operated by the AAI. The rest are IATA call signs for AAI airports.

Fraport – Airport Operations from Austria to Xi’an.

The Company Fraport AG is a leading player in the global airport industry. Following its initial public offering (IPO) Fraport has become the second largest listed airport company in the world, by revenues.

Fraport’s expertise is based on more than 80 years of aviation history at Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Frankfurt Airport (airport code = FRA) is located about 12 kilometers from downtown Frankfurt. A renowned pioneer for decades, FRA serves as Fraport’s home base and as a showcase for the company’s know-how, technology, products, and services.

With outstanding connectivity to all five continents of the globe, FRA is a intermodal hub with one of the largest catchment areas in the world and direct access to the German high-speed railway network. FRA is strategically situated in the heart of Germany and the European Union. Airlines can profit from high utilization rates and traffic yields.

Range of services The company prides itself in being a leading-edge provider of integrated airport services. Besides managing FRA, Fraport AG and its subsidiaries provide the full range of planning, design, operational,

commercial and management services for airports around the world. Fraport AG serves as a neutral partner to the world’s major airlines: offering a complete package of aircraft, cargo, passenger and other ground handling services. Outside Germany, the company has ground services operations in Austria. Other areas of Fraport expertise include cargo and ground handling, real estate development, airport retailing, IT services, consulting, intermodal concepts, environmental management, hub management, training, etc.

Fraport worldwide Through investments, joint ventures and management contracts, Fraport is now active on 4 continents. Fraport served some 73.7 million passengers in 2009 and handled 2.1 million metric tons of cargo (airfreight and airmail) at the Group’s airports.

Fraport, which bids for airport management projects worldwide, was awarded a 30-year concession for operating, managing and developing Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in India. Together with state-run Airports Authority of India (AAI) Fraport AG has formed “Delhi International Airport Private Limited (DIAL)”.

Fraport is the nominated “Airport Operator” and an Airport Operator Agreement

concluded with DIAL – under which it will be utilizing its extensive airport expertise developed over the past 80 years to assist with the operation, management and development of IGIA.

Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide 60547 Frankfurt am Main, Germany E-mail: marketing@fraport.de Internet: www.fraport.com www.frankfurt-airport.com Contact: Ansgar Sickert Vijender Sharma Fraport India Paharpur Business Centre Suite 302 21, Nehru Place New Delhi – 110 019, India Phone: +91 11 4120 7355 (AS) +91 11 4120 7334 (VS) Fax: +91 11 4120 7558 Mobile: +91 99 1038 2806 E-mail: ansgar.sickert@fraport.in vijender.sharma@fraport.in

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AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL

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Editor-in-Chief

K SRINIVASAN Managing Editor

TIRTHANKAR GHOSH Group Consulting Editor

R KRISHNAN Consulting Editor

NANDU MANJESHWAR Deputy Editor

PC SINGH Special Correspondent (Mumbai)

ROOHI AHMAD Copy Editor

ASHOK KUMAR Editorial Coordinator

LAKSHMI SINGH Sub-editor-cum-reporters

JASLEEN KAUR, PUNIT MISHRA Design

12 Voice of the world’s airports The Sixth ACI Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly, Conference & Exhibition that takes place in Delhi will provide an opportunity to showcase to the world how the best airports are run. The meet will indeed be a meeting of minds.

RUCHI SINHA, MOHIT KANSAL, SHIV Picture Editor

PRADEEP CHANDRA Photo Editor

HC TIWARI ——————————

40

54

Publishing Director

ROHIT GOEL Director (Admin & Corporate Affairs)

RAJIV SINGH Asst. Manager (Subscription)

JAYA SINGH (Mob. 9650433044)

Executive Director

RENU MITTAL For advertising and sales enquiries, please contact:

64

+91-9999919071, 9810030533 Editorial & Marketing office:

Newsline Publications Pvt. Ltd., D-11 Basement, Nizamuddin (East), New Delhi -110 013 Tel: +91-11-41033381-82 All information in CRUISING HEIGHTS is derived from sources we consider reliable.

It is passed on to our readers without any responsibility on our part. Opinions/views expressed by third parties in abstract or in interviews are not necessarily shared by us.

Material appearing in the magazine cannot be reproduced in whole or in part(s) without prior permission. The publisher assumes no responsibility for material lost or damaged in transit. The publisher reserves the right to refuse, withdraw or otherwise deal with all advertisements without explanation. All advertisements must comply with the Indian Advertisements Code. The publisher will not be liable for any loss caused by any delay in publication, error or failure of advertisement to appear. Owned and published by K Srinivasan 4C Pocket-IV, Mayur Vihar Phase- I, Delhi-91 and printed by him at Nutech Photolithographers, B-240, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase- I, New Delhi-110020.

4 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

40 Delhi: The best on show

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport has gone from strength to strength. DIAL wants to make T3 like Changi or Dubai.

54 Ready for the world

Hyderabad International Airport is ready to assume its position as an important hub on the global aviation map.

74

64 Mumbai: On the top

Running Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport smoothly and efficiently is indeed a task.

74 Constantly evolving!

Bengaluru International Airport has been constantly upgrading itself and often exceeding world standards.

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15 AAI leaps ahead

15

The numbers are mind-boggling: 125 Airports, which include 11 International Airports, 8 Customs Airports, 81 Domestic Airports and 25 Civil Enclaves at Defence Airfields. That sum up the total number of airports that the Airports Authority of India manages. It is a gigantic task and AAI performs it with aplomb.

To top it all, the AAI has undertaken a massive modernisation project to upgrade a number of airports and provide world-class services to air travellers around the country.

21

27

37

82

18

18 Chairman speaks

V P Agrawal, Chairman, AAI, emphasises that AAI is bound to generate substantial non-aeronautical revenues.

21 Inspiration from Tagore

Kolkata’s Netaji Subash Chandra Bose International Airport is undergoing with expansion and modernisation.

27 Bigger and better

Chennai Airport is going through a fullscale makeover and it will be the Airports Authority of India’s showcase airport.

37 India’s own GAGAN

AAI’s GAGAN system will provide corrections to the GPS signal to meet the requirements of Indian aviation.

82 GHP ready to roll

The Ground Handling Policy, which was a non-starter ever since it was announced, will be seen in operation from April 1.

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Indian Aviation looks forward

I would take this opportunity to brief the distinguished delegates about India's aviation sector.

India has an illustrious history of civil aviation. The airline industry in India has grown by about 400 per cent in the last seven years. With a domestic passenger base of over 50 million, India now ranks fourth after USA, China and Japan. It is the fastestgrowing and ninth-largest aviation market in the world... Improvement of infrastructure and the need for increased trained manpower have been identified as two of our main challenges. By the middle of next year all six of our largest metro cities would have brand new airports with capacity to manage this growth till at least the next decade. By this time we would also totally modernise about 50 of our nonmetro airports. We are also in process of setting up an independent Civil Aviation Authority. We are amongst the few countries, which have established Airport Economic Regulatory Authority, which is providing a valuable service to the airport sector.

VAYALAR RAVI, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs and Civil Aviation Minister, at the Regional Aviation Security Conference (RAVSECC) in February 2011.

The Civil Aviation Ministry is launching the satellite accounting system to assess the actual contribution of the sector to the country's economy. We also need for India-specific measures to further strengthen the aviation sector in the country. The passenger traffic is expected to cross the 180-million mark by 2015 and 300 million by 2020.

It is high time that an overall regulatory framework be further strengthened...

With regard to private sector investments in new airports, the Model PPP Concession Agreement is under consideration of the ministry. Further, 35 airports are planned to develop through Public Private Partnership (PPP) framework by Airports Authority of India (AAI). This would provide muchrequired connectivity to Tier-II and III cities in the country.

DR NASIM ZAIDI, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, at the India Aviation Meet in March 2011

8 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

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th ACI Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly,

Conference and Exhibition

“Aviation Business Strategies - Meeting of Minds” April 5-8, 2011 at Taj Palace, New Delhi

DAY 1 TUESDAY APRIL 5, 2011 1300 - 1930

Registration.

1800 - 1830

Welcome ceremony and official opening of exhibition.

1830 - 2030

Welcome reception in the exhibition hall.

DAY 2 WEDNESDAY APRIL 6, 2011 0800 0900 - 0945

Registration.

Inaugural ceremony and welcome address.

y V P Agrawal, Chairman, Airports Authority of India. y Kiran Kumar Grandhi, Chairman - Airports, GMR Group. y Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid, President, ACI Asia-Pacific and Managing Director,

Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad. y Nasim Zaidi, Secretary of Civil Aviation, Government of India.

0945 - 1015

Keynote Speech: Vyalar Ravi, Honorable Minister of Civil Aviation, Government of India.

1015 - 1100

Coffee Break

1100 - 1230

Session 1: Airport Financing Models and privatisation.

This session will look at models of financing airport expansion and upgrades, economic oversight and performance benchmarking.

Moderator: George Bellew, CEO, Oman Airports Management Company y Yashwant S Bhave, Chairperson, Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India. y Satish C Chhatwal , Member (Finance), Airports Authority of India. y Max Moore-Wilton, Chairman, Sydney Airport Corporation Ltd. y Sidharath Kapur, CFO, Airports Sector, GMR Group.

1230 - 1400

Luncheon

1400 - 1530

Session 2: Business Environment of the Future - Changing Rules of Game This session will define in what environment airports need to operate to remain competitive.

Who are the customers of the future — low-cost, up market or both? What are the factors to consider? How will this impact the technology on airport design: airport IT, aircraft technology (point-to-point long haul versus hub-and-spoke). Should Asia-Pacific market liberalise?

Asia-Pacific has become the largest aviation market in the world but it is also one of the most regulated. When will its market be liberalised and how will these affect airports?

Moderator: Catherine Mayer, Vice President, SITA y Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid, President, ACI Asia-Pacific & Managing Director, Malaysia Airports Holdings, Berhad. y P S Nair, CEO-Corporate, Airports Sector, GMR Group. y Suzanne Amanda Carter, Vice President, Transportation, Unisys Asia Pacific. y A K Sharan, Joint Director General, Director General of Civil Aviation, Government of India. y Peter Budd, Director, Aviations, ARUP. y Sudhir Raheja, Member (Planning), Airports Authority of India.

1530 - 1615

Coffee Break

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AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL 1615 - 1730

Sixth ACI Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly Meeting and Committee Updates Young Executive Award Presentation.

DAY 3 THURSDAY APRIL 7, 2011 0745 - 0915

ACI Asia-Pacific World Business Partner and executive breakfast meeting.

0915 - 1045

Session 3: Investing in human capital This session will look at what capabilities and skills are required for airport employees in the future. How can industry partners work together to ensure sufficient number of aviation professionals to meet the future airport business needs?

Moderator: Victor De Barrena, Director of Global Training and HR, Airports Council International y Kapil Kaul, CEO, South Asia, Centre for Asia-Pacific Aviation. y Xiaomei Li, Vice President, Beijing Capital International Airport Co, Ltd. y HervĂŠ Touron, Training Officer, Aviation Safety Training Section, ICAO. y P M Kumar, Business Chairman, Group Corporate Development, GMR Group.

1045 - 1130

Coffee break

1130 - 1300

Session 4: Security and Facilitation: The Balancing Act With some recent incidents revealing new threats to the secure transport of passengers and cargo, it is timely to address this issue. Today's passengers are increasingly demanding efficiency and quality customer service. What can the industry and governments do to ensure a secure operating environment and at the same time not compromise customer service and impede the growth of international tourism and trade?

Moderator: Craig Bradbrook, Director Security and Facilitation, Airports Council International y Martin Eran-Tasker, Technical Director, Association of Asia Pacific Airlines. y Yeo Kia Thye, Director, Airport Operations, Changi Airport Group (Singapore) Pvt Ltd. y Gyaneshwar Singh, GM and Head of Department for Directorate of Security, Airports Authority of India. y Michael Barrett, Executive Officer, Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association.

1300 - 1415

Luncheon

1415 - 1545

CEO and Leaders' Forum: Aviation chiefs meet to discuss current key issues.

Moderator: George Bellew, CEO, Oman Airports Management Company y V P Agrawal , Chairman, Airports Authority of India. y James Bennett, CEO, Abu Dhabi Airports Company. y John D Clark III, Executive Director and CEO, Indianapolis Airport Authority. y Angela Gittens, Director General, Airports Council International. y Arvind Jadhav, Chairman and Managing Director, Air India Ltd. y Yiannis Paraschis, CEO, Athens International Airport S. A. y I Prabhakara Rao, CEO, Delhi International Airport (P) Ltd.

1545 - 1600

Closing Ceremony

1800 - 2300

Gala Dinner and ASQ Awards Ceremony

DAY 4 FRIDAY APRIL 8, 2011 1000 - 1700 1400 - 1700

City / Historical Tour of New Delhi.

Tour of Indira Gandhi International Airport (Terminal 3)

DAY 5 SATURDAY APRIL 9, 2011 0500 - 2230

Tour to Taj Mahal, Agra City.

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ACI: The voice of the world’s airports THE SIXTH ACI ASIA-PACIFIC REGIONAL ASSEMBLY, CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION, WHICH TAKES PLACE IN DELHI, COMES AT A CRUCIAL JUNCTURE: 2011 IS NOT ONLY A MILESTONE YEAR FOR ACI AS IT MARCHES INTO ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY BUT IS ALSO THE PERFECT TIME TO SHOWCASE TO THE WORLD HOW THE BEST AIRPORTS ARE RUN. THE AIRPORTS IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION HAVE RECORDED THE GREATEST TRAFFIC GROWTH AND MANY OF THE BEST ASQ AWARD-WINNING AIRPORTS ARE LOCATED IN THE REGION. PRIVILEGED WITH TREMENDOUS GROWTH POTENTIAL, THE AIRPORTS IN THE REGION ARE INDEED AMONG THE BEST IN THE WORLD IN TERMS OF OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND SERVICE EXCELLENCE. A CLOSE LOOK AT THE AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL AND ITS FUNCTIONING.

B

efore the establishment of ACI incorporated AOCI and ICAA and suc- ties, operating over 1679 airports in 177 in January 1991, the world’s ceeded AACC, was taken in 1989. The countries/territories. The "voice of the airports were represented on Constitution of ACI was approved by world’s airports", ACI interacts with the international scene by the AOCI and ICAA memberships in the other world bodies, including the InterAirport Associations Coordinating autumn of 1990 and came into effect on national Civil Aviation Organisation Council (AACC), which had been creat- January 1, 1991.

(ICAO), the International Air Transport ed in 1970 by combining three existing Today, ACI consists of some 597 Association (IATA), and the Internainternational airport associations: the member airports and airport authori- tional Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Airport Operators Council Associations (IFALPA). ACI International (AOCI); the has observer status with ACI OBJECTIVES International Civil Airports ICAO and consultative status Association (ICAA); and the with the United Nations’ Eco Maximize the contributions of airports to mainWestern European Airports nomic and Social Council taining and developing a safe, secure and viable Association (WEAA). Prior (UN/ECOSOC). aviation industry in a responsible and sustainable to the formation of the ACI also works closely manner.

AACC, the three associations with the International Federhad collaborated on an inforation of Air Traffic Con Promote cooperation among all segments of the mal ad hoc basis and had troller’s Associations (IFACaviation industry and their stakeholders as well as presented the interests of TA), the International Coorwith governments, regional and international their memberships to other dinating Council of Aeroorganizations. international organisations space Industries Associations

Influence international, regional and national legseparately.

(ICCAIA) and other worldislation, rules, policies, standards and practices, With the passage of time, wide organisations. ACI is a based on established policies representing however, the growing impormember of the International airports’ interests and priorities. tance of external factors on Industry Working Group airport operation created the (IIWG), which brings togeth Advance the development of the aviation system by need for a formal relationer the three principal segenhancing public awareness of the economic and ship with governments, airments of the world’s aviation social importance of air travel and airport developlines, manufacturers and industry — namely airports, ment. other parties concerned. airlines and manufacturers.

Provide leadership in airport operations and manThis led to the establishment This tripartite group (ACI, agement through the development of global techof AACC, with a view to forIATA and ICCAIA) is entrustnical standards and/or recommended practices. mulating unified airport ed with tackling common industry policies, furthering problems related to the

Maximize cooperation and mutual assistance collaboration between its design, development and among airports. constituent associations, and compatibility of aircraft and representing them collecairports.

Provide members with industry knowledge, advice tively with worldwide aviaACI presents the collective and assistance, and foster professional excellence tion organisations and other positions of its membership, in airport management and operations. relevant bodies. which are established through

Build ACI’s worldwide organizational capacity and When the WEAA was committees, endorsed by the resources to serve all members effectively and dissolved in 1985, AACC ACI World Governing Board efficiently. became a bipartite body. The and reflect the common interdecision to create ACI, which ests of the airport community.

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THE STRUCTURE OF ACI ACI’s supreme authority is the General Assembly, which consists of the official representatives of all ACI regular members.

The ACI Governing Board, which is made up of 29 members, meets at least twice every year and decides ACI policy and examines any matters not specifically referred to at the Assembly. Representatives to the Governing Board are airport representatives from each of the five ACI regions. The ACI Executive Committee consists of seven members, one representative of each region and the elected Chairman of ACI. The Executive Committee supervises the work of ACI between Governing Board meetings. Both the Executive Committee and the Governing Board are headed by the elected Chairman of ACI. ACI has six World Standing Committees, which develop airport policies in their respective areas of competence: economics, environment, facilitation &

services, aviation security, safety/technical and airports information technology. Each region holds two seats on each committee.

The Director General, ACI’s principal staff officer and spokesman, is responsible for implementing the policies of the General Assembly and the ACI Governing Board. A number of directors, covering aeropolitical, economic, environmental, facilitation, security, technical and regional affairs report to the Director General.

The Regional Board ACI Asia-Pacific Region currently holds eight seats on the ACI Governing Board. In addition, a 25-member Regional Board is made up of senior airport executives from airports throughout the Asia-Pacific who oversee the activities of the Regional Office. The ACI Asia-Pacific Regional Board comprises the following members:

President Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid Managing Director & CEO Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad, Malaysia

Second Vice President Kosaburo Morinaka President & CEO, Narita International Airport Corporation Japan

First Vice President HH Prince Turki Faisal Al-Saud Vice President, International Organisation Affairs General Authority of Civil Aviation Saudi Arabia

Secretary Treasurer Dennis Chant Managing Director, Queensland Airport Limited, Australia

Second Vice President Zhiyi Dong Chairman, Beijing Capital International Airport Co. Ltd, China

Immediate Past President Ghanem Al-Hajri, Director General, Department of Civil Aviation and Sharjah Airport Authority, UAE

ACI is made up of five geographical regions Africa, AsiaPacific, Europe, Latin America/Caribbean, and North America. The ACI World Headquarters is located in Geneva, Switzerland, and the ACI ICAO Bureau in Montreal, Canada.

ACI has six World Standing Committees, which develop airport policies in their specific areas of competence, namely: Economics, Environment, Facilitation & Services, Aviation Security, Safety & Technical and Airports Information Technology. Members from all ACI regions, including AsiaPacific, are represented in these committees. Through their representatives, members in the region contribute to the development of policy positions in their areas of interest.

Within Asia-Pacific, ACI has the following regional committees and liaison groups:

A file photo of delegates at the 5th ACI Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly, Conference & Exhibition at Sanya, China

14 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

ACI Asia-Pacific Regional Aviation Security Committee ACI Asia-Pacific Regional Operational Safety Committee ACI Asia-Pacific Regional Environment Liaison Group ACI Asia-Pacific Regional Airport Information Technology Group

These regional committees and liaison groups are responsible for technical cooperation and policy position formulation in their respective areas and liaison with the corresponding ACI World Standing Committees.

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SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT ON AIRPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA

AAI FOCUS ENHANCING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR BETTER CONNECTIVITY AROUND THE COUNTRY

SOUTH

EAST

NORTH

WEST

Improving present facilities to provide better connectivity with the rest of the country

Extensive development for the airports in the region along with special focus on the North-East

Boost to development in the region to facilitate tourism and economy

Aim for quick growth to ensure all-round economic development of the region

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AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL

T

he Airports Authority of India (AAI) is the largest airport operator and manages a total of 125 airports, which include 11 International Airports, eight Customs Airports, 81 Domestic Airports and 25 Civil Enclaves at Defence Airfields. AAI also provides Air Traffic Management Services (ATMS) over the entire Indian air space and adjoining oceanic areas with ground installations at all airports and 25 other locations to ensure safety of aircraft operations.

As part of decision modernisation programme and to provide world-class standards to travellers, AAI has entered into a collaboration with all major metro airports in the country, including those in the PPP mode to upgrade the CNS ATM services at these airports to provide them better connectivity and a smoother flow of air traffic 24 x 7. It is in keeping with AAI’s commitment to provide cutting edge CNS ATM services to cope with the increase traffic loads at these airports. All the major air-routes over Indian landmass are radar covered with distance measuring equipment. Most of the airports are also provided with night landing facilities. Besides, 52 runways are provided with ILS installations.

With AAI’s successful implementation of Automatic Dependence Surveillance System (ADSS), using indigenous technology at Kolkata and Chennai Air Traffic Control Centres, India gets the distinction of being the first country to use this advanced technology in the South-East Asian region thus enabling effective Air Traffic Control over oceanic areas using satellite mode of communication. Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) procedures have already been implemented at major airports and are likely to be implemented at other airports in a phased manner.

AAI has also undertaken GAGAN project in technological collaboration with the Indian Space and Research Organisation (ISRO), where the satellite- based system will be used for navigation.

AAI has also planned to provide Ground-Based Augmentation System (GBAS) at Delhi and Mumbai airports. This GBAS equipment will be capable of providing Category-II (curved approach) landing signals to aircraft thus replacing the existing instrument landing system in the long run, which is required at each end of the runway.

Amidst all the modernisation ventures undertaken, AAI has not forgotten to focus on customer satisfaction. For this, an independent agency survey at 30 busy airports has been implemented, which has evinced enthusiastic response. AAI has also undertaken initiatives to upgrade training facilities at CATC Allahabad and Hyderabad airports.

16 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

BUILDING, ENHANCING INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS THE COUNTRY

AAI

leaps ahead

THE NUMBERS ARE MIND-BOGGLING: 125 AIRPORTS, WHICH INCLUDE 11 INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS, 8 CUSTOMS AIRPORTS#, 81 DOMESTIC AIRPORTS AND 25 CIVIL ENCLAVES AT DEFENCE AIRFIELDS. THAT SUMS UP THE TOTAL NUMBER OF AIRPORTS THAT THE AIRPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA MANAGES. IT IS A GIGANTIC TASK AND AAI PERFORMS IT WITH APLOMB. TO TOP IT ALL, THE AAI HAS UNDERTAKEN A MASSIVE MODERNISATION PROJECT TO UPGRADE A NUMBER OF AIRPORTS AND PROVIDE WORLD-CLASS SERVICES TO AIR TRAVELLERS AROUND THE COUNTRY.

Western Region Ahmedabad * Akola Aurangabad Bhavnagar Bhopal Bhuj (CE) Diu Goa (CE) Gondia

Indore Jabalpur Jamnagar (CE) Kandla Keshod/Junagarh Kolhapur Latur Mumbai* (Santacruz)

Mumbai (Juhu) Nagpur* /Sonegaon Nanded Porbandar Pune (CE)/Lohegaon Rajkot Sholapur Surat/Dumas Vadodara/Baroda

Southern Region

# Customs airports are airports with international flights usually operated by the country’s national carrier.

Agatti Airport Bengaluru Int’l Airport (BIAL)* Bengaluru (CE) Calicut/Kozhikode* Chennai Int’l Airport Cochin Int’l Airport* Coimbatore Airport** Hubli Airport Hyderabad (Begumpet) Airport Hyderabad / Shamshabad Int’l Airport* Madurai Airport

Mangalore Customs Airport** Pondicherry / Puducherry Airport* Rajahmundry Airport Salem Airport Trivandrum Int’l Airport* Thiruchirapalli Customs Airport** Tirupati Airport Tuticorin Airport Vijayawada Airport Vishakapatnam Airport (CE)

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Northern Region

z

Agra (CE) Allahabad (CE) Amritsar (International) Chandigarh (CE) Dehradun Delhi-IGI (CNS/ATM BY AAI) Delhi (Safdarjung) Gorakhpur (CE) Gwalior (CE) Jaipur (International) Jaisalmer (CE) Jammu (CE) Jodhpur (CE)

z

Srinagar (International-C.E)

Leh (C.E)

z

Jammu (C.E) Pathankot (C.E) z

z Kullu (Bhuntar) z

z z

Amritsar*

Ludhiana

Shimla

z Chandigarh (C.E)

z

Dehradun

z Pantnagar

z

Delhi-IGI* (CNS/ATM BY AAI) Delhi (Safdarjung)

z

z

z

Jaipur*

z

Jodhpur (C.E)

z

Gwalior (C.E)

z z

Keshod/ Junagarh

z

Indore

z

Gondia z Nagpur*/Sonegaon

Bhavnagar

z

z

Varanasi**

Cooch Behar z

Gaya**

z

Ranchi

z

z

Raipur

Bhubaneswar

Vishakapatnam

z

Sholapur

Kolhapur z

z

z

Goa (C.E)

z (CE)

Hyderabad (Begumpet) Airport z Shamshabad Int’l Airport* z Rajahmundry z Vijayawada

Hubli

zTirupati Bangalore CE

z Bangalore Int’l Airport * z Salem z Pondicherry / Puducherry Airport* z z Coimbatore** Calicut/Kozhikode* z Thiruchirapalli** z z Madurai z

Mangalore **

z

Agatti Airport

Cochin*

z

Map not to scale

Trivandrum*z

z

Tuticorin

z

z

Silchar Imphal (Tulihal) (Kumbhigram), (CE)

z

Aizawl (Lengpui)

Kolkata Int’l Airport*

z

z Nanded Latur z Pune (CE)/Lohegaon

z

Shillong

z

z

z

z

Agartala

Surat/Dumas Mumbai Int’l Airport*Santacruz Mumbai (Juhu)z

z

Dibrugarh (Mohanbari)

Jorhat, (CE) z Dimapur/ (Manipur RD) z Guwahati (Borjhar)*

Tezpur, (CE)

(Barapani/z Umaroi)

z

Aurangabad

z

z

Bagdogra, (CE) **

Patna**

Jabalpur

z

z

Diu

Gorakhpur (C E)

z

Bhopal

Vadodara/Baroda

z

z

z

Ahmedabad *

z

z

Kanpur (Chakeri-C.E)

Khajuraho

z

Porbandar z Rajkot

z

z

Udaipur

z

z

Allahabad (C.E)

z

Bhuj (CE) Kandla z Jamnagar (CE) z

z

North Lakhimpur (Lilabari)

Agra (C.E) Kanpur (Civil)z Lucknow**

Jaisalmer (CE)

Kanpur (Civil) Kanpur (Chakeri-CE) Khajuraho Kullu (Bhuntar) Leh (CE) Lucknow (Customs) Ludhiana Pantnagar Pathankot (CE) Shimla Srinagar (International-CE) Udaipur Varanasi (Customs)

AAI SPECIAL FEATURE

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Eastern Region Bhubaneswar Cooch Behar Gaya** Kolkata* Patna** Port Blair (CE)* Raipur Ranchi

North-Eastern Region Agartala Aizawl (Lengpui) Bagdogra, (CE) ** Dibrugarh (Mohanbari) Dimapur/ (Manipur RD) Guwahati (Borjhar)* Imphal (Tulihal) Jorhat, (CE) North Lakhimpur (Lilabari) Shillong Silchar (Kumbhigram), (CE) Barapani/ Umaroi Tezpur, (CE)

z

Port Blair (CE)*

* International Airport ** Customs Airport April 2011 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I 17

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“With our newly-created infrastructure, we are bound to generate substantial nonaeronautical revenues” V P AGRAWAL, CHAIRMAN, AIRPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA, ON FUTURE PLANS AND REVENUES. It is now more than three years since private enterprise took over management to operate four metro airports: Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

Frankly, how do you describe the experience?

Well, to answer your question, it may be apt if I were to state that ‘Change is always for better’. Having said that, it would but be prudent if one was to view the move from the larger perspective and not merely ‘hindsight’. As is well established, our sector had witnessed unprecedented boom in the last decade and it is also a fact that our infrastructure at the airports was below par and thus, we had no other

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option but to embark upon in a big way to provide matching infrastructure. The costs involved in such a venture being exorbitant, that it was beyond the reach of either AAI or the exchequer. Therefore, in my opinion, the decision to take the PPP route was not only the need of the hour but timely too. The other added advantage that accrued was that it offered an opportunity to AAI to focus its attention on the much-neglected large number of non-metro airports across the length and breadth of our vast country, many of which were serving international routes too. This, you would appreciate, was a humongous task in itself.

The other very important facet of airport modernisation, which invariably is lost sight of, if I may put it, inadvertently is airspace management, which is the sole responsibility of AAI. As a sequel to the growth, the density of air traffic too was bound to increase by leaps and bounds, for which appropriate systems were required to be put in place. Import of state-of-the-art technology to ensure seamless transition through Indian skies entails a huge expenditure which has to be borne by AAI. It may be of relevance to set the record straight by mentioning that air traffic — be it at metro or non-metro airports — is managed and regulated by AAI. As such opening the doors to private players was the only viable solution to ensure creation of world-class airport infrastructure across the country. It would be apt if I were to sum up the answer by saying that the experience has been fruitful and, as they say, ‘rest is history’.

Though you do get revenue share, could it have been more had you continued to operate these airports? If yes, how? If not, why?

Your question is ‘hypothetical’. There is no denying the fact that four of our airports, which have since been hived off were profit-making airports and thus, they would have made a dent in our revenue earnings. Having said that, one has to bear in mind that if one is desirous of reaping the fruits, one would have to initially invest huge expenditure, which was not possible in the case. Again, I would go back to the larger perspective and draw your attention to the spin-offs, i.e. due to the growth of these airports, the traffic at our other non-metro airports has enhanced and as such my earnings have multiplied. Therefore, you would agree

it is a win-win situation.

The 9 per cent GDP growth has already seen air traffic growing by 20 per cent annually. When do you think it will begin to crowd the non-metro airports?

I suppose you would agree that the unprecedented growth that has since been witnessed, surely did not originate or end up at the metro airports only and there ought to have been substantial contribution from the non-metros too.

Non-metro airports also play a pivotal role. It would be interesting to note that the traffic growth at non-metro airports is at a much faster pace when compared to the metro airports. As is well established, neither does mere presence of infrastructure at airport ensure air connectivity nor can absence of infrastructure provide air connectivity. This, as you are aware, is directly dependent on market forces/demand as revealed in the survey carried out by the airlines for drawing up their business plan. The non-availability of appropriate infrastructure at the non-metro airports at that point of time did have a salutary effect on the airlines’ operational planning for new route connectivity. Moreover construction of infrastructure does not only entail a long gestation period but it is also essential for airlines to assure the airport operator of sustained operation and utilisation of the airport and other facilities.

DUE TO THE GROWTH OF THESE AIRPORTS, THE TRAFFIC AT OUR OTHER NON-METRO AIRPORTS HAS ENHANCED AND AS SUCH MY EARNINGS HAVE MULTIPLIED. The apprehension of crowding nonmetro airports put forth by you was relevant in the pre-modification/modernisation period, but as on date the situation is in favour of the non-metro airports as the capacity is much in excess than the demand. It may be of relevance to record that modernisation of terminal buildings has been carried out on a ‘modular’ concept, which has scope for further expansion if circumstances so demand. As on date, infrastructure at

non-metros is underutilised. The airlines’ were invariably planning for a morning flight to a non-metro and an evening return flight, with a large yawning gap in between. The other dimension is the avoidable strain on resources of not only the AAI but also, Met, security and other agencies.

With the changing trend of the travelling populace vis-à-vis increased per capita income, non-metro airports have already started attracting night halts of the aircraft which in turn assures early morning and late evening return flights, for example, Ahemdabad, Pune, Goa, etc. A humble beginning in this direction has already been made. I suppose it would only be fair to assume that the time is not far when full utilisation of the infrastructure, coupled with the fact that the rate of induction of number of aircraft on the anvil will dry up the night parking slots at metro airports, leaving no choice for the operator to re-work their plans. Non-metro airports are not only capable of handling traffic but they also do have appropriate facilities in place.

Do you think the traffic handled by the Airports Authority airports — the two metros, Chennai and Kolkata and 35 non-metros — will soon overtake that of four nonAAI metro airports?

It is not just the four non-AAI metro airports, viz., Delhi International Airports Ltd. (DIAL), Mumbai International Airport Ltd. (MIAL), Bengaluru International Airport Ltd. (BIAL) and Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Ltd., Hyderabad (HIAL), but add Cochin and Nagpur airports to the list as these two airports are out of AAI’s ambit.

However, in my opinion, you have touched upon a very pertinent issue by comparing the growth of air traffic across the country in time to come and have made a comparison between noncomparables. Notwithstanding that most of our prosperous airports have been hived off, we at AAI took on the challenge upfront and embarked on the task of developing the 2nd and 3rd tier airports, including those in the NorthEast region, remote and island areas, where you would agree no private player may ever dare to tread.

Traffic originating or terminating at the metros includes a substantial portion of traffic from non-metros too.

Notwithstanding the same, the density of traffic between the metros being

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AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL operationalised, thereby enhancing our non-aeronautical revenues manifold.

How much has AAI spent on the modernisation of 35 non-metros and how much remains to be spent?

AAI has incurred `3,238 crore (cumulative capital expenditure up to January, 2011). Funds amounting to approximately `1,250 crore are likely to be spent in future on these projects.

The departure lounge of Ahmedabad airport

what it is; a stage may arise when your apprehension will come true. Let there be no doubt that in times to come the density of traffic originating/terminating at non-metros is bound to grow. I say this with confidence keeping in view the growth of air traffic in our country vis-à-vis the changing mindset of the travelling populace of our country coupled with the economic growth on the anvil. It stands to reason that the traffic handled at the AAI airports may not lag far behind. However, to give you an insight of the situation as it stands today is that the aircraft movements at ex-non-AAI airports are 52.4 per cent and at AAI airports are 47.6 per cent, whereas, in regards the passenger density ex-non-AAI airports is 59 per cent and at AAI airports is 41 per cent.

What is needed to ensure that or has it started happening?

The AAI has already set the ball rolling in this direction by modernising two metro, 35 non-metro and 23 other airports. We have 60 upgraded airports as on date. Commissioning another 30 airports which as on date are in a state of disuse, are on the anvil. The day is not far off when the concept of ‘hub and spoke’ would see the daylight in Indian aviation.

Due credence also ought to be given to the fact that as an outcome of modernisation we have spare capacity at these airports, with infrastructure compatible to handle all types of loads, that in turn is bound to make a perceivable dent in the traffic loads of metro airports.

Is it true that ANS of AAI will be hived off as a separate business unit?

20 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

Yes, it is true that Air Navigation Services will be hived off from AAI into a separate company. Action has since been initiated and as a step in that direction a Post of Member (ANS) on the Board of AAI has since been created and an incumbent positioned too.

Also, action with regard to other associated issues for its smooth transition into an independent entity is underway. As and when the directorate’s functions get stabilised and are on a sound footing to operate as a fullfledged directorate, appropriate action with regard to the modalities involved in granting it separate entity status will be initiated.

WE HAVE 60 UPGRADED AIRPORTS AS ON DATE. COMMISSIONING ANOTHER 30 AIRPORTS WHICH ON DATE ARE IN A STATE OF DISUSE, ARE ON THE ANVIL. Will such a step not seriously impact the revenue stream of AAI? In my opinion, it will have an effect initially but not to an extent which could be a cause of worry. As you would be aware, with our newly-created infrastructure, we are bound to generate substantial non-aeronautical revenues.

We would be having 90-odd airports

What are the funding options before AAI in view of Finance Ministry’s rejection of AAI’s request for tax-free bonds?

AAI is planning to raise funds mainly out of internal resources. However, the shortfall is to be met out of the borrowing amount to `900 crore and `824 crore, respectively through debt financing during 2010-11 and 2011-12.

This is by way of long-term and shortterm borrowings programme. As regards the tax-free bonds, we at AAI have not given up hope.

What is the corporate vision of AAI for 2020? Will land be a constraining factor? How do you propose to deal with it?

The corporate vision of AAI is “to be a world-class organisation providing leadership in Air Traffic Services and Airport Management and making a major hub in Asia Pacific Region by 2016”.

Land as a commodity is soon becoming a rare commodity. Airports being land-intensive can be perceived by the common man as a lot of land being usurped by AAI especially with no visible construction on that. However, air safety — which is paramount to aviation — dictates vacant graded areas known as basic strips, Runway End Safety Area (RESA), where no constructional activity is permitted. The state governments are finding it difficult to acquire land from the already built-up areas of the public. The establishment of Greenfield airports has an inbuilt constraint of site selection, which needs to be taken into account, with reference to not only land availability but also to air space management issues of the already operational airports nearby, including that of defence. With passage of time and traffic becoming denser, the need to get airports licensed, with the enforcement of norms, is not only becoming inescapable but also, stricter.

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Netaji Subash Chandra Bose International Airport

Tagore inspired design for Kolkata THE FIFTH BUSIEST AIRPORT IN THE COUNTRY AND PRESENTLY HANDLING MORE THAN NINE MILLION PASSENGERS ANNUALLY, KOLKATA’S NETAJI SUBASH CHANDRA BOSE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS THE LARGEST IN EASTERN INDIA AND THE ONLY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT OPERATING IN WEST BENGAL. ITS PROSPECT OF BECOMING AN AVIATION HUB OF THE REGION HAS PROMPTED AIRPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA TO UNDERTAKE AN EXPANSION AND MODERNISATION PROGRAMME.

K

olkata’s Netaji Subash Chandra Bose International Airport that is being expanded and modernised at a cost of `2325 cr will help increase the passenger handling capacity at the city airport from the present nine million passengers annually to 20 million passengers a year. The modernisation work launched in December 2008 is expect-

ed to be completed by January 2012. A consortium of ITD of Thailand and ITD Cementation India Limited bagged the contract for the civil construction and modernisation of the airport.

Located at Dum Dum near the city of Kolkata, it is the fifth busiest airport in India. The main international airport in eastern India, it is also its largest. As the current infrastructure was unable to handle the influx of passengers, owing largely to the city’s development and air-traffic growth in recent years, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) took up large-scale airport development plans including a new state-of-the-art integrated airport terminal. This modern, glass-steel

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The new terminal with wide v-shaped structure with two-tier operations for arrivals and departures.

structure is being constructed using green building concepts, environmentfriendly technology and world-class passenger facilities.

Airports Authority of India appointed an international architectural design consultant to design the new airport terminal with an emphasis on deriving operational synergy and optimum utilisation of available resources by developing an integrated terminal building.

New York-based project management consultant, Parsons Brinkerhoff has been appointed to supervise and monitor the construction of the state-of-theart terminal building.

The new integrated terminal will be a wide v-shaped structure with two-tier operations for arrivals and departures.

The integrated passenger terminal will have an apron for parking aircraft on its northern and north-eastern sides: 18 aircraft are proposed to be parked there in an in-contact configuration.

These in turn will be supplemented by another 53 aircraft parking bays. Passengers will be able to embark/disembark from any aircraft stand and proceed to either domestic or international stations.

A landscaped courtyard in the heart of the building will provide a symbolic and physical separation between the airside and landside. It will be further divided by an island of accommodation that projects forward between the checkin area and the baggage-reclaim area.

These two large spaces will sit side-by-

22 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

side in the landside section of the building. To unify these two spaces, a spectacular roof will pass above them, retaining it as a whole.

The landscape concept will be one of the biggest pieces of land art inspired by the works of Rabindranath Tagore. It will offer two disparate spatial experiences — the vastness of the grand central garden and the intimacy of the internal courtyards. The grand central garden will be a canvas inspired by paintings and poems by Tagore, and will have two levels separated by a sweeping curve— directly inspired from one of Tagore’s famous paintings. Compared to the simplicity of the lower level, the upper level of the garden will be richly textured and patterned with letters and words extracted from one of the poems from Gitanjali.

AAI is on the job to upgrade the CNS and ATM systems in the airport which will have a state-of-the- art ATC tower and an adjacent technical building.

There will also be provision for metro

THE FIRST PHASE OF MODERNISATION WILL ENABLE THE AIRPORT TO ACCOMMODATE A PEAK FLOW OF 1800 PASSENGERS AN HOUR.

rail connectivity from the city centre to the airport with city check-in facilities.

The first phase of modernisation will enable the airport to accommodate a peak flow of 1800 passengers an hour. The airport will also have an inline baggage system which will make it redundant for passengers to go for pre-check through X-Ray machines.

The approach road from the city will be uni-directional four-lane approach road merging with the existing road network without disrupting vehicular traffic flow from various other airport facilities. The proposed five-level terminal will be served by an elevated roadway leading to the departure facilities. The city side will be linked to the upcoming metro rail from the main city.

AAI is also doubling the area meant for commercial use from the earlier 45 acres to 90 acres. Till the end of December 2010, AAI was able to complete 62 per cent work of the new integrated terminal building and the work should be complete by December 2011.

Extension and refurbishment of the runway were completed in December 2010. Besides the new integrated terminal building, which is being constructed now, Kolkata airport already had three terminals — a domestic, international and cargo terminals, respectively. The number of aero bridges will be increased from the present four to 20 by the time the airport is opened in 2012.

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THE AIRPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA HAS DRAWN UP EXTENSIVE DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR THE AIRPORTS IN THE EASTERN REGION OF THE COUNTRY. A BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE VENTURES AT THE AIRPORTS.

EASTERN R

Bihar

E

G

I

O

N

Jharkhand West Bengal Chhattisgarh

Orissa

AAI in the EAST

Andaman & Nicobar island Bihar z Chhattisgarh z Jharkhand z Orissa z West Bengal z z

Andaman & Nicobar island

Port Blair airport

ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLAND There is only one airport in this group of islands: Port Blair international airport.

The official name is Veer Savarkar International Airport. Airport’s runway can handle operation of aircraft up to A310 or B757.

Apron is big enough to park eight aircraft at one time and terminal building has good space for 270 passengers. New terminal complex and a cargo complex are under planning stage.

terminal building is big enough to house 200 passengers during peak hours. In addition, the integrated international side is also capable of handling 100 fliers. Resurfacing of the apron and the adjacent pavement will be starting soon. Modification and expansion of the terminal building are in the planning stage.

Gaya: This airport can support operation of aircraft up to A321. Apron can park

BIHAR There are two functional airports in the state of Bihar. The status is as follows: Patna: Official name of this custom airport is Loknayak Jaya Prakash Narayan Airport. The airport’s runway is wide enough to support aircraft up to A320s. The apron can park five aircraft at one time. The

Gaya airport

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AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL two aircraft at one time. The terminal building is divided into domestic side and international side which can accommodate up to 100 and 400 passengers during peak hours.

Acquisition of land for extension of runway is being planned by the authority.

CHHATTISGARH This state also has only one airport in its capital Raipur. Raipur Airport’s runway can handle operation of aircraft up to A321.

Apron can park three aircraft at one time and terminal building has good space for 400 passengers. New international terminal, which will have big space to accommodate 800 passengers, is in the last

Bhubaneswar airport

will increase its capacity to handle more than 1,300 passengers from present 350.

The runways are capable in operation of aircraft up to AB767-300. The new apron, which is under construction, would be able to park six aircraft at one time; old apron has space for two parking. Also, new air traffic control tower (ATC)-cumtechnical block has been proposed, and further expansion of the apron has already been approved.

WEST BENGAL

Raipur in its last phase of construction

phase of construction. Authority has been planning to acquire more land for expansion of runway and construction of new control tower and fire station.

The state of West Bengal has two functional airports in AAI’s list. Their status is as follows: Kolkata International Airport: Officially known as Netaji Shubash Chandra Bose International Airport, it is suitable for operation of wide-bodied aircraft like A340s and B747. It has a huge apron, which is capable of parking 35 aircraft at

JHARKHAND Again, Jharkhand is also a state with only one airport in its capital: Ranchi. Its runway can handle operation of aircraft up to A321. Apron can park two aircraft at one time and terminal building has space for 130 passengers. Resurfacing of the apron and the adjacent pavement is in its last

Ranchi airport

stage. Also, strengthening and expansion of apron is almost complete.

ORISSA Biju Patnaik Airport is at the capital city, Bhubaneswar. Huge construction work is in progress at this airport. A new integrated terminal is being constructed which

24 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

Kolkata airport — departure

one time. The peak hour capacity of the terminal building is 1864, 1240 in the domestic side and 640 in the international side. It has a big car parking area which can accommodate 2500 cars. The traffic is very high with 692 domestic and 100 international flights a week. Integrated terminal building with a passenger handling capacity of 7,200 is about to complete. The work on the secondary runway is ready for operation as the work has been complete. (Please see the detailed story on modernisation of Kolkata airport on pages 21 and 22) Cooch Behar: Aircraft up to ATR42s can be operated at this airport. Apron can accommodate two aircraft at one time and terminal building is suitable for at least 100 passengers.

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AAI in the NorthEast: The serene land of eight sisters AS PART OF ITS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME, AIRPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA HAS FOCUSSED ON CONNECTIVITY IN THE NORTHEAST. A BRIEF LOOK AT THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE AIRPORTS IN THE REGION.

R

E

N-E G

I

O

N

Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh z Manipur Meghalaya z Mizoram z Nagaland z Tripura z Sikkim z Assam z

Sikkim

z

ASSAM The largest state in the north-eastern region of the country, Assam has six airports operating at capital Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, North Lakhimpur, Silchar and Tezpur.

Guwahati: Guwahati international airport is the busiest and largest airport in this region. It is suitable for wide-bodied aircraft like A330 or B747. This is the only airport in this region which has permission to operate in the night. The apron is wide enough to accommodate five A320s at one time, and the terminal building is huge with a capacity to handle 790 passengers during peak hours. One international flight of Air India leaves for Bangkok every week from here.

Dibrugarh: Aircraft up to A320s can be operated from Dibrugarh airport. Night operation is not allowed at this airport, and 28 weekly flights leave for Guwahati and Kolkata. Apron can handle five aircraft at a

Assam Nagaland Meghalaya Manipur

Tripura Mizoram

Jorhat airport

Dibrugarh airport

time and terminal is capable of managing 600 passengers during peak hours. A new control tower-cum-technical block is being planned.

Jorhat: Jorhat airport supports aircraft up to A320s. Eight weekly flights leave from here to Guwahati and Kolkata. The apron can accommodate two A320s at one time,

and the terminal building has a capacity to handle 120 passengers during peak hours.

North Lakhimpur (Lilabari): Only two weekly flights leave from here to Guwahati and Dibrugarh. Lilabari airport is suitable for operation of aircraft up to A320s but Alliance Air, the only operator at this airport, just operates ATR42 flights from here.

Apron can park two aircraft at a time and terminal building can accommodate 300 passengers during peak hours.

Silchar: This airport is also suitable for operation of A320s; however, only ATR72 aircraft are operated by different airlines at Silchar. Thirty-two weekly flights leave from here for different destinations: Guwahati, Imphal, Agartala and Kolkata. Apron can park four aircraft and terminal building can

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Silchar airport

Lengpui airport

accommodate 300 passengers during peak hours.

Tezpur: This civil enclave airport can handle operation of aircraft up to A320 or B738. Alliance Air operates just three weekly aircraft from here for the destinations: Kolkata and Silchar. Apron can accommodate three aircraft at one time, and terminal building can handle 315 passengers during peak hours.

the state capital, Aizwal. Again, this small state has only one airport and it can support operation of aircraft up to A320s. About 29 domestic weekly flights are operated by different airlines for Imphal, Guwahati and Kolkata. Apron has parking space for three aircraft, and terminal building is good enough to handle 140 passengers during peak time. Installation of a new ILS (instrument landing system) is already complete, but it has not started its operation yet. Construction of cargo complex and isolation bay is being planned.

MANIPUR

Imphal airport

Tulihal airport is the only airport in the capital city of the state: Imphal. A320s can be operated from this airport. Night landing facility is available, but operation in night is not permitted. Four aircraft can be accommodated in the apron at one time and terminal building is capable of handling 400 passengers during peak hours. Expansion of apron to park two more aircraft is under process.

MEGHALAYA

Shillong airport

Even in Meghalaya, there is only one operating airport in the state capital: Shillong.

This airport is suitable for operation of ATR72, and the only operating airline, Alliance Air operates only two weekly flights for Kolkata. Apron has a parking capacity of two aircraft and terminal building has room for 200 passengers during peak hours. A new terminal building and space for car parking is almost complete but hasn't started operating so far. Construction of new control tower cum technical block is planned. Extension of runway to 2, 286 metre in south-west direction is also in the pipeline.

MIZORAM Lengpui airport is at 40-km distance from

26 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

NAGALAND Again a state with only one operating airport. Dimapur airport is situated at a distance of 70 km from the state capital: Kohima. Alliance Air and Indian Airlines operate 15 flights in a week for Imphal, Guwahati and Kolkata. Suitable for aircraft up to A320s, the airport has an apron with parking capacity of two aircraft. The terminal building has a capacity to accommodate 404 passengers during peak hours.

TRIPURA Agartala airport, in the capital of the state, is the second-busiest airport in this region. The airport is suitable for operation of aircraft up to A320s and has 12 daily flights on an average. The apron is suitable for parking seven flights at one time and the terminal building is big enough to handle 600 passengers during peak hours. The work under process is modification of fire station and construc-

Agartala airport

tion of new control tower. Acquisition of land for widening and development of runway strip from present 75 metre to 150 metre is in the planning stage. †

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Chennai: Coming, a bigger and better airport CHENNAI AIRPORT IS GOING THROUGH A FULL-SCALE MAKEOVER AND ONCE COMPLETED WILL BE THE AIRPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA’S SHOWCASE AIRPORT. BRAVING CHALLENGES, EXPANSION AND MODERNISATION WORK AT THE AIRPORT IS IN FULL SWING.

T

he modernisation and expansion of Chennai airport is in full swing. In all probability the new facilities at the revamped Chennai airport is likely to be thrown open to the travelling public by the last quarter of 2011 as work is going on great speed. The airport expansion is being executed by Chennai-based Consolidated Construction Consortium Limited in partnership with Jerve Powerlean International, a Canadian infrastructure company. The project cost has been revised to `2015 crore and will include a new domestic terminal spread over an area of 76,000 sq mt and an international terminal in 68,000 sq mt even as the existing terminals will continue to be used for passenger traffic.

The plan to revamp Chennai, according to V P Agrawal, Chairman, AAI, was taken “since Chennai airport is the premier international gateway and air hub for South India and also due to a rapid increase in tourist traffic including foreign visitors”.

The expansion of the airport comes under the category of Brownfield airport since the proposed integrated terminal building that is being constructed is a continuation of the existing terminal buildings and other facilities, keeping in mind that no existing operation and safety are compromised. “Hence,” emphasised V P Agrawal, “the challenge is much

Chennai airport

more compared to a Brownfield airport.”

The mega project comprising domestic and international terminal buildings, elevated corridor and allied works including consultancy, extension of runway and construction of a bridge on the Adyar river would be costing `2015 cr.

After modernisation, the airport will be able to handle 40 aircraft movements an hour from the current 30 aircraft while the number of parking bays will be increased to 84 from the existing 70. As per the traffic projection for Chennai airport, while it handled 10.5 million passengers in 2009-10, this will go up to 11 million in 2010-11 and further to 11.9 million by 2011-12. By 2012-end, the numbers will rise to 13 million.

The modernisation work, which began in October 2008, was supposed to have been completed by January 2011. But due to unforeseen circumstances, the AAI could not access availability of contiguous land which is under the Ministry of Defence. The land, which is holding up the work, includes those near the entrance as well as in the adjacent area which could be used for hangars, etc. By the year 2020, the airport in Chennai will be able to handle 27.6 million passengers.

Although the modernisation work has been causing difficulties to domestic passengers, it is expected to ease substantially by September 2011 because by that time the flyover connecting the domestic

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and international terminals should be ready. A multilevel car parking is also being constructed, which can house a couple of thousand cars.

Once the domestic terminal is completed it will be capable of handling 10 million passengers. The international terminal will be expanded to cater to nearly 14 million passengers.

Chennai airport’s only main runway capacity, however, will reach the point of saturation by 2017. As for the terminals, the domestic terminal will reach its maximum handling capacity or saturation by 2019 and the international terminal by 2015. That is reason enough for a second new Greenfield airport at Chennai and any decision in this regard will be taken once a new state government assumes office after the state assembly polls in April 2011.

However, to optimally utilise the airport, a portion of the second runway is being opened as it remained closed for more than a year because of construction work. A stretch of 2085 metres, which formed the entire stretch of the initial runway, will be opened for smaller aircraft. In fact, the bridge across the Adayar river will extend the runway by 1400 metres. Opening

28 CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

a portion of the runway will help transfer movement of smaller aircraft like the ATRs for short-haul flights.

The secondary runway was closed in December 2009 to align the runway level with the portion of proposed extension across the river.

The new extended and refurbished main runway length has been stretched to 3685 metres which will allow operation of widebody aircraft such as Boeing 747s and A 380s. In fact, AAI has initiated training for air traffic control officers to handle additional traffic from the two runways simultaneously.

Chennai airport currently handles more than 400 flight movements a day, which will increase to 800 when the secondary runway is commissioned. At present, the airport handles only 27 aircraft movements an hour. While

CHENNAI AIRPORT CURRENTLY HANDLES MORE THAN 400 FLIGHT MOVEMENTS A DAY, WHICH WILL INCREASE TO 800 WHEN THE SECONDARY RUNWAY IS COMMISSIONED.

AAI has been struggling to cope with rising traffic using only its primary runway, by using the cross-runway operations using the reopened runway will reduce traffic on the main runway, according to AAI. Even as modernisation work continues, the issue of compensation has held back construction in certain areas.

To improve passenger safety, AAI has been upgrading the category of Chennai airport fire safety standards.

The new facilities being installed will be able to handle aircraft like the A 380, etc and the airport will be upgraded from the current Category 9 to Category 10 safety standards. The new facilities at a cost of `12 crore will enable Chennai airport to have more fire tenders, more chemicals to generate foam, better water storage, more personnel to handle emergencies involving larger aircraft, etc.

To ease any ground congestion in the space between the runway and taxiway, the 80-year-old Madras Flying Club has been given notice by AAI to vacate the land. This has become necessary to straighten Bravo taxi track used by aircraft to reach the Guindy end of the main runway for takeoff.

There is also a proposal to have a Metro rail station inside the airport premises, with a total area of 20,000 sq metres with a four-level terminal with a concourse, platform, parking space for Metro users and car park for airport users. The AAI India has agreed to execute the work of Metro station within the airport premises.

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THE SOUTH HAS SOME OF THE HOTTEST DESTINATIONS IN THE COUNTRY AND AFTER MODERNISATION, THE AIRPORTS HAVE BECOME THE MOST SOUGHT-AFTER ONES. A LOOK AT THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN THE REGION. ANDHRA PRADESH

An inside view of ATC control tower at Tirupati Airport

The state has six functional airports.

Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad, Rajahmundry Airport, Tirupati Airport and Vijayawada Airport are managed by Airport Authority of India. Vishakhapatnam Airport is managed by Indian Navy and Hyderabad International Airport is managed by GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL). Following is the current status: Hyderabad (Begumpet) Airport: This airport is suitable for operation of aircraft up to B747. Apron has enough space to park 13 aircraft at one time. It has car parking space for 400 cars. Hyderabad has got a new airport managed by GHIAL, and this is the older one. This airport has been made available for government, general aviation and flying club activities.

Rajahmundry Airport: This airport can support operation of aircraft up to ATR72. Kingfisher and Jet Airways oper-

Andhra Pradesh Tamil Nadu z Karnataka z Kerala z Lakshadweep z

ate 14 flights for Hyderabad every week.

Apron has space for parking two ATR72 at one time. With the functioning of the new terminal building at the airport, the peak hour capacity will increase to 336 from current capacity of 120. The recent development is construction of an air traffic control tower and a fire station.

Tirupati: Kingfisher, Jet Airways and Indian Airlines operate 27 flights to Hyderabad every week. The runways can handle operation of aircraft up to A321s.

Apron can park two A321s and one ATR72 at one time. The current terminal building is suitable for 250 passengers at one time, the new integrated one, which is under construction, would have a peak hour capacity of 700 passengers. A new instrument landing system is being installed. An air traffic control tower and a fire station are also in the planning stage.

Vijayawada: Kingfisher operates 14 weekly flights for the destinations: Hyderabad and Bengaluru. Vijayawada airport can support operation of aircraft up to B737. The old apron can park two A320s at one time and the new apron can accommodate five A321s. Peak hour capacity of the terminal building is 75 passengers. An air traffic control tower and a fire station are in the planning stage. A new instrument landing system is being installed.

Vishakhapatnam: Indian Navy operates and maintains this civil enclave airport. The runways are apt for operation of aircraft up to A330s. The existing apron

April 2011 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I 29

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AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL can park three B737s, and the new apron, which is not functional so far, has eight stands for parking the aircraft. The peak hour capacity is 125 passengers in the old terminal building, but the new integrated terminal will increase the total passenger handling capacity to close to one thousand passengers. A new instrument landing system is being installed. An air traffic control tower and a fire station are also in the planning stage.

TAMIL NADU There are six airports in this state. The status is as follows:

under construction and will have a capacity of 385 passengers once completed.

Madurai: The construction of a new terminal building for international operation, which can accommodate 700 passengers during peak hours, has just been completed. Construction of a new ATC building and fire station has been planned. The runway at this airport is capable of operation of aircraft up to A321s. Seventy-three weekly flights are being operated by different service providers for the destination: Bengaluru, Chennai and Mumbai. The old apron can park five aircraft at one time and the new one can park two A321s. The present terminal building can house 108 passengers during peak hours.

Salem: In the major development works, extension of runway and allied facilities has been planned. The present runway can handle operation of aircraft up to ATR72s. Kingfisher is the only airline providing services at this airport for the only destination: Chennai. The apron

Chennai airport

Chennai: Flights leave for 21 international and 24 domestic destinations from International Airport at Chennai. It has runway suitable for operation of aircraft up to B747. Apron has total parking space of 66 aircraft on domestic side and 10 on international side. Peak hour capacity to handle customers is 96 in Kamaraj Domestic Terminal, up to 2300 in Anna International Terminal and 3300 in integrated new domestic terminal. A total of 500 cars can be parked in the parking spaces available. A new integrated cargo complex is in the last phase of construction. (Please see the detailed story on modernisation of Chennai airport on pages 27 and 28) Coimbatore: This is a customs airport* and is suitable for operation of aircraft up to A321. International flights leave for two destinations from this airport: Sharjah and Singapore. Apron can park three aircraft on domestic and international side each. Peak hour capacity at the existing domestic terminal is 240 passengers. International terminal is * Customs airports are

airports with international flights usually operated by the country's national carrier.

Coimbatore has since got international flights by other carriers but continues to be a customs airport until notified as 'international airport' by the government.

30 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

Coimbatore airport

Salem airport

at this airport can park two ATR72s at one time and the terminal building can house 83 passengers at most.

Tiruchirapalli: This is a custom airport. Several airlines operate 24 domestic

Trichy airport

flights for the destination: Chennai and Trivandrum. At this airport, 47 international flights are also being operated for the destinations: Colombo, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Abu Dhabi. Runways at this airport can support operation of aircraft up to A321-200s or B767-200s.

The terminal building can house 471 passengers during peak hours. Domestic apron can park three A321s at one time and the

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international one has space for four aircraft.

Tuticorin: Kingfisher operates seven weekly flights from this airport to Chennai. The airport is suitable for operation of aircraft up to ATR72-500s. Apron can park two aircraft at one time and terminal building has a maximum capability of accommodating 83 passengers.

Puducherry (Union Territory): This airport is suitable for operation of aircraft up to ATR-72-500s. The new terminal building has just been completed, which can accommodate 150 passengers during peak hours. The parking space is sufficient to house three ATR-72-500s at one time. New air traffic control tower is being constructed. It also has a small car parking space for 20 cars.

AAI SPECIAL FEATURE

AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL

Kerala This state is a paradise for nature lovers.

The flora and fauna of this state lures thousands of tourists every month. There are three airports in this state; two of them are managed by AAI and one by CIAL (Cochin International Airport Limited).

Kozhikode: Calicut International Airport is suitable for operation of aircraft up to B747. Apron has stand for

Karnataka There are four airports in the state of Karnataka: Bengaluru International Airport, Bengaluru CE, Hubli Airport and Mangalore Customs Airport. Out of these four, Bengaluru International Airport is managed by BIAL (Bengaluru International Airport Authority Limited), Bengaluru CE Airport is under HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) administration, and airports at Hubli and Mangalore are run by Airports Authority of India. The Bengaluru International Airport is the first airport in India constructed through a public-private partnership.

Hubli: Runways at this airport can handle operation of aircraft up to ATR42s.

Calicut International airport

parking nine aircraft at one time. The terminal building is big enough to accommodate 1600 passengers during peak hours. It has a big car parking space which can easily accommodate 200 cars at one time.

Trivandrum: International Airport at Trivandrum has gone under major transformation in recent past. AAI has equipped this airport with a new international terminal building complex, eight parking stands for the aircraft (total parking stands on apron increased to 20 with old 12 stands), car parking on both

Modified terminal building at Hubli airport

Trivandrum International airport

Kingfisher operates 14 flights every week from here for Bengaluru and Mumbai. The apron has capacity to park five aircraft at one time. The terminal building can handle traffic of 60 passengers during peak hours. Installation of ILS (instrument landing system) is being planned.

Mangalore: This is a customs airport. The runway can handle operation of aircraft up to A321. There is parking space for four aircraft in the old apron and six in the new one. The old terminal building can handle 300 passengers during peak hours, and the new integrated terminal has a capacity to handle 750 passengers during peak hours.

sides and parallel taxiway on Chakai Canal side. The runway of the airport can handle operation of aircraft up to B747.

Terminal building at this airport can handle 685 passengers in the domestic side and 1600 in the international side.

LAKSHADWEEP ISLANDS This group of islands has one airport namely Agatti Airport. It has direct flights from Ernakulam (Cochin). The runway at this airport is suitable for operation of ATR42 aircraft. Parking of only one ATR42 aircraft is possible on the apron. The terminal building can handle 25 passengers during peak hours. †

April 2011 I CRUISING HEIGHTS 31

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JAMMU AND KASHMIR

Srinagar airport

32 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

The state has three airports that operates at full strength in tough conditions round the year. These are Srinagar, Leh and Jammu.

Keeping in mind, the sensitive nature of the state, security is paramount and passengers moving through these airports undergo a comprehensive and full-proof security inspection.

Srinagar (CE): Srinagar International Airport is suitable for A320, B767 and B777 operations. The apron can accommodate four aircraft at a time while the terminal can handle up to 930 passengers during peak hours: 450 international and 480 passengers in domestic. Srinagar airport has undergone recent modifications: the runway has been improved and a new departure and arrival terminal has been constructed. Substantial improvement has been made in operational facilities as well, such as increase in the number of ILS (Instrument Landing System).

Jammu (CE): This is a A320 compliant airport. The apron can accommodate four aircraft at one time. The terminal can handle up to 364 passengers during peak time. The expansion of the apron is underway to ensure handling of more number of aircraft simultaneously. In addition, the size of the terminal building will also be expanded soon.

Leh (CE): This airport is suitable for operation of aircraft up to A320s. The terminal can handle up to 140 passengers during peak time. The apron can accommodate two aircraft at one time. A terminal building complex is being constructed with a

KEEPING THE SENSITIVE NATURE OF THE REGION IN MIND, SECURITY HAS BEEN OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR. IN THE OTHER STATES TOO, AAI HAS BEEN CONCENTRATING ON BOOSTING DEVELOPMENT. A BRIEF LOOK AT THE REGION.

capacity to accommodate 600 passengers.

HIMACHAL PRADESH There are three airports operating in this beautiful state of India. Tourists who are fond of the lush countryside and the towering Himalayan peaks frequently visit this state. There is a large Tibetan community in Dharamshala district of Himachal Pradesh.

Shimla: Operation of ATR42 aircraft is possible to this airport. Apron can handle only one aircraft at one time and terminal is suitable for maximum 72 passengers during peak hours. Kingfisher is the only service provider with seven weekly flights to Delhi.

Extension of runway is in the pipeline.

Kullu: This airport is suitable for opera-

Kullu airport

tion of ATR42 aircraft. Apron can handle two aircraft at one time and terminal is suitable for maximum 167 passengers during peak hours. Kingfisher and Air India operate ten weekly flights to Delhi. Extension of runway and construction of Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower-cum-Tech Block is on.

Gaggal (Dharamshala): Suitable for ATR-72 operations. Terminal is suitable for 100 passengers. The completed work includes extension and strengthening of

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runways, construction of aprons and new terminal building along with new fire station, and, provision of new ground handling facilities. Works in progress include construction of a new technical block cum control tower. In addition, AAI has signed a MoU with Himachal Pradesh Government to execute the development works at Gaggal airport.

PUNJAB There are three active airports in the state including one with international operations.

Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport (Amritsar): It is the secondlargest international airport in northern region and is apt for operation of wide-bodied aircraft such as A340s or B777s. Its large apron can accommodate 14 aircraft at one time. To meet the growing demand, development works were taken up in phased manner during five years from 2005 to 2009.

Post this development works , terminal can handle up to 1600 passengers.

Ludhiana: Ludhiana airport can operate ATR42 aircraft. Apron can handle only one aircraft at a time and terminal is suitable for maximum 50 passengers during peak hours. Kingfisher is the only service provider with 14 weekly flights to Delhi.

Pathankot: B737 aircraft can land on and take off from this airport. Apron can handle three aircraft at one time and terminal is suitable for maximum 220 passengers during peak hours.

RAJASTHAN There are four airports in the state of palaces and forts and the magnificent Thar desert.

The state is a key part of the golden triangle of Indian tourism, which is represented by Delhi-Jaipur and Agra.

Jaipur: Jaipur international airport can operate aircraft up to A310s. It is equipped with large apron that can accommodate up to ten aircraft at one time. There are two terminals, which can handle 1120 passengers during peak hours: 900 in international and 224 in domestic. The new international terminal building, which started its operation in the year 2009, is a three-level terminal with curvilinear profile along the city side entrance. Acquisition of 32 acres of land is being planned.

Jaisalmer: Jaisalmer airport is suitable for operation of aircraft up to A320s. A new terminal building with passenger capacity of 390 during peak hours is being constructed.

It would also have a parking facility for 150 cars. A new apron is also being constructed.

Jodhpur: Operation of aircraft up to A320s can be handled by Jodhpur airport.

The terminal can handle up to 215 passengers during peak time. The apron can accommo-

AAI SPECIAL FEATURE

AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL date three aircraft at one time. It has a frequency of 35 flights per week with daily flights leaving for Delhi, Mumbai and Udaipur.

Udaipur: Udaipur airport can handle operation of aircraft up to A321s. Terminal is suitable for maximum 676 passengers during peak hours. After recent expansion, apron can handle seven aircraft at one time.

It has daily flights for Delhi, Mumbai, Jodhpur and Jaipur, and its frequency is 66 flights per week.

UTTAR PRADESH There are seven airports in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

Agra: Agra airport is apt for operation of aircraft up to A320s. The terminal can handle up to 270 passengers during peak time. The apron can accommodate three aircraft at one time.

Allahabad: Operation of aircraft up to A320s can be performed at Allahabad. The terminal can handle up to 42 passengers during peak time. The apron can accommodate two aircraft at one time.

Gorakhpur: Gorakhpur airport is competent to handle the operation of aircraft up to A320s. The terminal can handle up to 200 passengers. The apron can accommodate only one aircraft at atime.

Kanpur (Civil): Kanpur civil airport can handle the operation of aircraft up to C 90s. The terminal can manage up to 26 passengers during peak time. The apron can accommodate only three aircraft at one time.

Lucknow: Aircraft up to A310s can be handled by Lucknow airport. It is equipped with large apron that can accommodate 26 aircraft at one time; new terminal, which is not operational so far, has an apron of 13 aircraft parking capacity. As soon as the new terminal starts operating, the passenger handling capacity will increase to 2,385 from the 826 passengers.

Varanasi: Aircraft up to A321s can be managed at Varanasi airport. Terminal is suitable for maximum 1100 passengers during peak hours, after recent expansion.

Apron can handle 12 aircraft at one time.

Several elevators are being created for passengers' convenience.

UTTARAKHAND There are two airports in the state of Uttarakhand: Dehradun and Pantnagar.

Dehradun: This airport can handle aircraft up to A320s but presently operating with ATR-72. The terminal can handle up to 233 passengers during peak time. The apron can accommodate two aircraft at one time.

Pantnagar: This airport is suitable for operation of ATR42 aircraft. Apron can handle only one aircraft . †

April 2011 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I 33

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Goa

AAI in the West THE WESTERN REGION HAS SEEN SOME OF THE FASTEST FOOTPRINTS AMONG AIRPORTS. A BRIEF ON THE AIRPORTS AUTHORITY'S PLANS FOR THE REGION. Diu This airport can handle operation of aircraft up to ATR-72-500s. Jet Airways is the only airline which operates six weekly flights from this airport for the Mumbai via Porbandar.

Terminal building at the airport has capacity to accommodate 30 passengers during peak hours. The apron can park two ATR-72-500s at one time.

accommodating 11 aircraft at one time. The present terminal building has capacity to house 778 passengers during peak hours.

Construction of new building is going on; it will be able to accommodate 2000 passengers in the domestic side and 480 passengers in the international. The new terminal building also has modern basement parking space for 570 cars.

Goa

Gujarat

Runways at Goa International Airport are suitable for wide-bodied aircraft like A340600s. Several airlines operate 18 international flights and 224 domestic flights at this airport. Apron has big parking space for

There are nine operational airports in the state of Gujarat.

Ahmedabad: Ahmedabad International Airport is officially known as Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel International Airport. Run-

Goa International Airport

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Ahmedabad airport

ways at this airport are suitable for widebodied aircraft like A340-600s or B747400s. Two hundred fifty domestic and 48 international flights are operated at this airport by different service providers. The existing apron can park six aircraft at one time; the new under-construction airport, in front of the under-construction international terminal building, will be able to park six more aircraft. The existing terminal building can accommodate 1200 passengers in the domestic side and 700 in the international side.

Bhavnagar: Bhavnagar airport can handle operation of aircraft up to A320s. Jet Airways and Kingfisher operate 14 flights for Mumbai every week from here. The apron can park two aircraft at one time, and the terminal building can house 110 passengers during peak hours.

Bhuj: This is a civil enclave airport. The operation of aircraft up to A320s is possible at this airport. Jet Airways and Kingfisher operate 14 flights for Mumbai every week from here. The apron can park two B737800 aircraft at one time, and the terminal building can house 350 passengers during peak hours.

Jamnagar: This is also a civil enclave airport. The operation of aircraft up to A320s is possible at this airport. Air India operates seven flights for Mumbai every week from here. The apron can park two B737-700 aircraft at one time, and the terminal building can house 150 passengers during peak hours. It has a car parking space for 60 cars. Extension of apron and expansion of terminal building are being planned.

Kandla: This airport can handle operation of aircraft up to ATR-72s. Kingfisher operates seven flights for Mumbai every week from here. The apron can park two ATR-72 aircraft at one time, and the terminal building can house 81 passengers during peak hours. Extension of runway for operation of A320 aircraft and construction of new

terminal building complex are in the planning stage.

Porbandar: The runways can handle operation of aircraft up to ATR72-500s. Jet Airways operates six flights for Mumbai every week from here. Apron can park two ATR72-500 aircraft at one time. The terminal building is suitable for 318 passengers during peak hours. The tender for new air traffic control tower-cum-technical block has been released.

Rajkot: This airport is suitable for operation of aircraft up to A320s. Jet Airways and Air India operate 20 flights for Mumbai every week from here. The apron can park one B737-400 and one ATR72 at one time.

The terminal building can accommodate 140 passengers during peak hours. Planning for a new terminal complex, to house 400 passengers during peak hours, is going on.

Surat: Even called Dumas Airport, it is suitable for operation of aircraft up to A320s. Alliance Air operates six flights every week from here for the destination: Delhi.

The apron can park one B737-400 and one ATR72 at one time. The terminal building can accommodate 140 passengers during peak hours. Planning for a new terminal complex, to house 400 passengers during peak hours, is going on.

Vadodara: This airport is suitable for operation of aircraft up to A320s. Several airlines operate 49 flights for Mumbai and Delhi every week from here. The apron can park six A320s and one ATR72 at one time.

The terminal building can accommodate 330 passengers in old side and 720 passengers in the integrated side, which has just started its operation. Parking space for 200 cars is available here.

MADHYA PRADESH There are five airports in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

Bhopal: It is officially known as Raja Bhoj Airport. The runway of this airport is

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Bhopal airport

Indore airport

Artistic impression of Khajuraho airport

36 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

suitable for operation of aircraft up to A321s.

The frequency of this airport is 36 flights a week.

The old apron can park three B737-800s and one ATR72 at one time.

The recently constructed apron can park 10 B737800s or A321s. The new terminal building can accommodate 700 passengers during peak hours.

Indore: Official name of this airport is Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport. The runway of this airport is suitable for operation of aircraft up to A321s. The frequency of this airport is 161departures a week. The old apron can park three B738s and one ATR72-500 at one time. The recently constructed apron can park four A321s and four ATR72-500s. The old terminal building can accommodate 340 passengers and new integrated building can house 750 passengers during peak hours. It has a parking space for 260 cars and six buses.

Jabalpur: This airport is suitable for operation of aircraft up to A320s. There are 11 weekly departures operated from here for the destinations: Delhi and Gwalior. The parking space is sufficient to house two ATR-72-500s at one time. The terminal building can accommodate 175 passengers during peak hours. Expansion of apron is going on at the cost of `five crore.

Khajuraho: Suitable for operation of A320 aircraft. Terminal suitable for 150 passengers. Aprons suitable for two B737 aircraft. The completed works are: strengthening and expansion of runway and construction of aprons. Works underway includes: construction of new terminal building complex, including car parking, isolation bay and DVOR building.

Works planned: Installation of Cat 1 approach lighting system on runway 19 side.

Gwalior: Suitable for A320 operations.

Terminal can handle 200 passengers at a time. The apron is suitable for parking two B737 at a time. Navigational aids include non-directional beacon, Doppler VOR (DVOR), instrument landing system and distance measuring equipment. The completed works are: refurbishing of terminal building. Works planned: shifting of DVOR.

MAHARASHTRA There are eleven airports in the state of Maharashtra.

Akola: This airport is suitable for operation of aircraft up to ATR-42-320s.

The apron has parking space for three aircraft: two ATR72 and one C90. Terminal building can house 25 passengers during peak hours. The ongoing work is modification of existing terminal building. Construction of new terminal building, control tower cum technical block, fire station and workshop, and extension of runway are in planning stage.

Aurangabad: Forty-two weekly departures are operated by different service providers from Aurangabad Airport to different destinations: Delhi and Mumbai.

The runways can handle operation of aircraft up to ATR42-320s. The new terminal building is capable of housing 800 pas-

Aurangabad airport

sengers and old one has the peak hour capacity of 200 passengers. Apron has parking space for seven aircraft at a time.

Gondia: This airport has no scheduled operations. Runways at this airport are suitable for operation of aircraft up to A320s. Apron has space for parking seven aircraft at one time.

The other airports in Maharashtra are as follows: Mumbai International Airport under PPP mode with Mumbai International Airport Ltd (see page 64 to 73), Kolhapur (leased for 15 years by State Government[SG] to AAI), Latur (leased by SG to Reliance Airport Developers), Mumbai Juhu - Historic old airport of the city under improvement and expansion with AAI, Nagpur - the AAI airport under agreement with MIPL, Nanded - SG to Reliance Airport Developers, Sholapur - leased for 15 years by AAI from SG and Pune - Pune’s Lohegaon airport is an IAF airport with Civil Enclave operated by AAI.

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GAGAN to help AAI leap ahead WORK ON THE GPS-AIDED GEO AUGMENTED NAVIGATION (GAGAN) PROJECT IS ON AND BY THE MIDDLE OF 2013 WHEN THE GEO SATELLITE IS LAUNCHED BY ISRO, IT WOULD PROVIDE THE AVAILABILITY OF GAGAN SIGNALS IN SPACE. SIMPLY PUT, THESE SIGNALS WOULD PROVIDE A CERTIFIED NEARPRECISION APPROACH SERVICE AT ALL AIRPORTS.

T

he implementation of the GPSAided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) project by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for seamless navigation over Indian airspace is on.

Once completed, India will be the fourth country in the world to have a satellite-based navigation system.

GAGAN’s ground elements are being deployed and integrated to have it certified by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, for its operation over Indian Flight Information Region (FIR). The system has in-built expansion capabilities to operate over neighbouring FIRs. The GAGAN system will provide corrections to the GPS signal to meet the accuracy, integrity, availability and continuity requirements prescribed for aviation.

GAGAN will provide a civil aeronautical navigation signal consistent with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) as established by the Global Navigation Satellite System Panel (GNSSP). In addition, GAGAN has established the capability of meeting ICAO-SARPS requirements through its Technology Demonstration System (TDS) Phase.

India has embarked on a four-year programme called Final Operational Phase (FOP) ending June 2013 to provide GAGAN SBAS services over Indian airspace.

Benefits of GAGAN AAI is on the threshold of redefining navigation from the present "landbased" to the "satellite-based" system.

The facility will provide tangible benefits to the civil aviation and the non-civil aviation sectors.

For the aviation sector, it will usher in: Improved efficiency/economy Direct routes Increased fuel saving Approach with vertical guidance to all runways not equipped earlier Reduced workload of flight crew and Air Traffic Controllers Improved capacity through reduced aircraft separation Higher accuracy, global coverage Improved safety Reduce the risk of controlled flight into terrain [CFIT] Enhanced air-to-air surveillance Availability of MSAW facility (Minimum Safe Altitude Warning) Reduced noise pollution footprint Ease of search and rescue operations Even the non-civil aviation sectors will be benefited: Passenger and freight management in railways Maritime applications Improved surveying and cartography Scientific research Geo dynamics Natural resource and land management Business solutions

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GSAT -10

GSAT-3 GPS 1 to 24

INLUS # 1 127(BG)

GSAT -# SIS with PRN 123

SIS with PNR 127

INLUS # 2

Orbital Spara

INLUS # S (DD)

DATA COMMIUNICATION NETWORK @2 Mbps / 128 Kbps INMCC # 1 (BG)

INMCC # 2 (DD)

DATA COMMIUNICATION NETWORK @ 128 Kbps (OFC &V Sat Dual Link) INRE S-2

INRE S-2

INRE S-15

GAGAN System Architecture

Agricultural aerial spraying Vehicle tracking Search and rescue

Configuration of the GAGAN system

PSAT in C- Band, downlinks in L1 frequencies.

Current status of GAGAN The technology demonstration phase of the project, aimed to underline the concept of SBAS over Indian airspace was

The GAGAN system architecture (see chart) involves the establishment of: Ground-based elements: Comprising Indian Reference Station (INRES) with 15 of them spread over the entire Indian subcontinent to collect measurement data and broadcast messages from all GPS and GEO satellites in view and forward to Indian Master Control Centre (INMCC).

GAGAN PSAT Task Team with Raytheon Team Indian Master Control Centre (INMCC): Installed and operating at Bengaluru successfully completed in August 2007. consists of computer systems to impleAs a part of final operation ment algorithms for computing correc- phase (FOP), the installation and site tions and integrity information for visi- acceptance test (SAT) of 15 INRES sites ble GPS satellites, ionospheric correc- have been completed at Delhi, Ahmedtions and integrity information at identi- abad, Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati, Port Blair, fied grid points. The software is certified Kolkata, for safety of life applications.

Jammu, Jaisalmer, Nagpur, Dibrugarh, Indian Navigation Land Bhubaneswar, Porbandar, Goa and Gaya.

Uplink Station (INLUS): There are three The SAT of two INMCCs and two of them which receive messages from the INLUS sites have also been completed at Indian Master Control Centre, format Bengaluru. A total of 14 INRES have been those messages for GPS compatibility linked through Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) and transmits them to the GEO satellites to INMCC and one station (Port Blair) has for broadcast to user platforms. been linked through DSCN to INMCC Space-based segment: Comprising Bengaluru. Data received from all the stanavigation payload on board Indian tions are being recorded at INMCC, BenSatellites GSAT- 8 and GSAT-10 that use galuru. Infrastructure for providing the bend pipe transponder with uplink standby connectivity through AAI V-sat

38 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

/ DSCN from all INRES to INMCC is in progress, which was completed by the end of February 2010. Presently, five INRES are connected through DSCN circuits while five stations have been already connected through AAI DSCN circuits.ISRO/AAI has developed a region-specific ionosphere model called ISRO GIVE Model - Multi Layer Data Fusion (IGM-MLDF) for GAGAN since a single shell ionosphere model falls apart when the ionosphere exhibits sudden changes in electron content as is the case over the equatorial region. IGMMLDF models are associated with uncertainties to protect a GAGAN user from ionosphere abnormalities. Another important feature of this algorithm is that it does not require any changes in the user-message structure, resulting in ease of GAGAN message usage by all .

GAGAN system’s PSAT (Preliminary System Acceptance Test) was conducted successfully on December 9 and 10, 2010. Extensive tests were carried out .

The PSAT Task Team comprised officials from Raytheon and from AAI/ISRO.

Post-PSAT activities A system regression test using the PSAT procedure will be conducted after availability of the following: Second communication circuits’ establishment Delhi INLUS installation and SAT completion INRES site which was not included in PSAT DCSS expansion cabinets installation and SAT completion Second SMSS integrated in both circuits Delivery of WAAS 8/9.2 build and further software builds TDS spares and maintenance

GAGAN certification activity Certification process by DGCA has commenced simultaneously .

Task ahead The GEO’s launching by ISRO would herald the availability of GAGAN signals in space followed by extensive HMI analysis and Flight Test to establish and provide a certified s approach service at all airports and RNP 0.1 service for the entire Indian airspace. The target date for completion is June 29, 2013.

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The vision creators IN THE NINE MONTHS SINCE WE DID THIS COVER STORY ON DELHI’S ICONIC T3 TERMINAL AT DELHI’S INDIRA GANDHI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, IT HAS GONE FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH. THE A380 HAS BEEN AT THE AIRPORT, AIR INDIA HAS NOW MADE THE TERMINAL ITS PRIMARY HUB AND THE PROMOTERS, GMR-DIAL, WANT TO MAKE T3 CHANGI OR DUBAI. WE ARE RECAPITULATING THE STORY AS IT WAS PLAYED AT ITS INAUGURATION AND THE DEVELOPMENTS SINCE THEN HAVE BEEN ENCAPSULATED IN BOXES AS YOU GO ALONG THIS ENGROSSING STORY.

I

t’s a brilliant view and Kiran Kumar Grandhi often gazes wistfully from his corner office on the third floor of New Udaan Bhawan at the magnificent T3, that’s just been completed, a few hundred metres across the road. Just as he is about to say something, he goes back to his characteristic, unstated low profile. But you can sense the excitement in his voice as he breaks into staccato Telegu on his Blackberry, English on the intercom and tells you that it’s been a long day.

Actually, three long eventful years. He took over as Chairman of the gargantuan GMR group’s airport business just around the time the construction of the T3 was beginning and since then it’s been like a yo-yo: Hyderabad-Delhi-Hyderabad-Bengaluru (where the group is headquartered)-Delhi. And, eventful in more ways than one.

His second son was born during this time, Turkey’s Sabiha Gokcen Airport (that GMR runs in partnership with that coun-

try’s Limak group) was commissioned in a record 18 months and now as T3 is dedicated to the nation comes the news that Male airport is in the bag.

Many believe they are rushing too soon and too fast. But insiders believe that patriarch 61-year-old Grandhi Mallikarjun Rao is making up for lost time.

What began almost 30 years ago as a single jute mill in the village of Rajam is now an infrastructure giant with interests in power, roads highways and airports. Along the way, they dabbled in banks, insurance and breweries, but that’s all behind them with the brewery being the last to go to Vijay Mallya and UB, whose airline, Kingfisher, is one of the big birds in the Indian aviation sky.

“Our journey to today’s GMR happened just accidentally. Whatever opportunity came up, we took it,” Rao does not tire of saying time and again, but he concedes that the Delhi airport project is in the make-or-break mould. It will catapult them into a different orbit and he is

AESTHETICALLY DESIGNED: Well laid-out murals and artwork at T3 catches the passengers’ attention instantly.

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RETAIL SUCCESS A total of 40,000-square-metres of commercial space includes 4,000square-metres of a walkthrough duty free area, 800-square-metres of luxury retail, 6,300-square-metres of speciality retail, 5,500-square-metres of mass and premium F&B, a games zone, a spa and a transit hotel.

The vision is to explore the future of retail excitement and retail development in travel retail. In T3, you have a very interesting combination.

You have a completely different target audience, which you don’t see at other airports. If you look at international, you have the business traveller and you have the international worker (blue collar). At the same time, you have the domestic traveller with the kind of spending power that is growing very fast-but with an Indian mentality where value for money is still the most important thing. This is a real different type of passenger because in travel retail, everything is about impulse and impulse is not always value for money.

And in India you have to target an audience with impulse in combination with the value for money.

The retail space at T3 will finally stock some 20,000 kinds of products and nearly 1,000 brands. It will have stores by fashion and jewellery companies such as Versace Group, Marks and Spencer Group Plc, WH Smith Plc and Swarovski Group. The airport operator expects sales at T3 to be around `1,000 crore in the first year of operations and to treble over the next three years. A passenger currently spends less than $3 (`138) on an average while shopping at Indian airports, according to retail industry estimates.

The global average is $15.

In the last nine months of operations, it has been observed that liquor, perfume and cosmetics, and chocolates are the highest selling items at the departure and arrival duty free shops. Traditionally, too, these are mostly the highest selling items in a duty-free environment, though the ratio of sales within these varies from country to country. Several airports across the world also have electronics as a major category. The latest trend in duty-free retailing is the inclusion of the fashion and luxury retail category.The Delhi Duty Free has plenty of that, but is expanding on this front as well.

42 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

QUALITY SERVICE:The check-in counters at Delhi Airport provides hassle-free service to the passengers.

conscious of the weight of expectations.

“We have set high benchmarks and I know big things are expected of GMRDIAL (Delhi International Airport Ltd — the consortium that will operate the Indira Gandhi International Airport).”

NO WONDER T3 HAS BEEN COMPLETED IN 37 MONTHS (SINGAPORE’S CHANGI AIRPORT’S T3 TOOK 76 MONTHS AND HEATHROW’S NEW TERMINAL 5 TOOK 60 MONTHS).

It’s a dream that the close lieutenant and CEO (Airport Development), DIAL, Indana Prabhakara Rao has diligently executed these past three-and-a-half years.

A GMR veteran who has spent a lifetime executing big ticket power projects, Rao, who was an Executive Assistant to the Chairman some ten years back, was second for the group’s biggest project because of his fearsome reputation for getting things done on time. No wonder the terminal has been completed in 37 months (Singapore’s Changi Airport’s T3 took 76 months and Heathrow’s new Terminal 5 took 60 months). He laughs when you ask him if his core team used to meet daily to map strategy: “We had daily sunrise meetings and sunset meetings of all key personnel to take stock of the

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AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL progress. That was the only way forward.”

There is a childlike enthusiasm in the manner in which Rao outlines the project and how they went about executing it: “We had nearly 200 contractors and subcontractors to deal with. We had to teach them best practices and if they had a problem we intervened to help resolve it.

With over 30,000 workers, it was like a mini Bharat and we had to look after them.” There is a 12-bed hospital on the site and the group organised a weekly mela for the workers to get their shopping done. “The only thing we didn’t have was a school since there were no families on the site.”

It’s an enthusiasm that’s shared by M P Naidu, Larsen and Toubro (L&T)’s man on the spot. This is the single-biggest contract in the L&T portfolio with a value of close to `8,000 crore. They are the old GMR hands having also done the Greenfield Hyderabad project. That apart, they are involved with Mumbai airport’s renovation and own a piece of the action at Bengaluru. But Naidu believes, the Delhi project takes the cake for the ‘unique manner’ in which it has been structured.

“Both the design and the construction went on side-by-side. Usually it takes close to two years for the design to be frozen. But in this case once the basic concept was frozen, the construction and the design happened simultaneously.”

To help iron out issues, they had an executive committee meeting that included G M Rao, Kiran Grandhi, S M Naik as well as Naidu and Prabhakara Rao. “If there were differences in perception, this committee usually gave a direction one way or the other to proceed ahead. It

DIAL HAD THEIR BEST AND BRIGHTEST TRAVEL THE WORLD AND COME BACK WITH A PERSPECTIVE AND HOW IT COULD BE TWEAKED TO MAKE IT THE BEST. helped smooth things greatly,” said Naidu who was categorical that the 37month deadline could never have been met but for the almost complete sync between the two teams in their objective.

L&T had over 250 design engineers on the site for most times of the project and over 30 expats were closely involved during the brick-and-mortar stage till the project was ready for the interiors.

While the expats arrived in droves to set up base at Udaan Bhawan, GMR and DIAL had their best and brightest travel the world and come back with a perspective and how it could be tweaked it to make it the best. So, there was plenty to learn from Incheon, Suvarnabhumi, Heathrow, Madrid, Frankfurt, Dubai and Hong Kong. They wanted the elegance of Changi, the smoothness of Incheon, the buzz of Hong Kong and the business-like professionalism of Barcelona.

To achieve this incredible mix, DIAL hired global consultants across the board.

Designed by Mott MacDonald (their aviation division provided the masterplan, concept and preliminary designs as well as environmental impact manage-

BEIJING APPRECIATION With just nine months left for the completion of the new terminal, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) invited delegates of Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) to inspect ongoing construction at the Delhi airport. ‘’After our two-day inspection, we are happy with the progress DIAL has made,” said Chen Guoxing, commander of BCIA, who led the team for construction of the Beijing airport for the 2008 Olympics.

“The challenge DIAL faces is similar to the problems we faced before the Olympics, which is of massive construction in a short time. However, after inspection of the designs of baggage handling and IT systems, we do not find anything lacking. The system acquired by DIAL is passenger friendly. Moreover, we find the techniques they have used to be more scientific than the one we used,” Guoxing said.

ment, traffic forecasting and tender assistance) and HOK architects and consultants (this terminal will more than double the airport’s passenger capacity).

The team also designed 1.3 million square feet (120,000 square metres) of renovation projects to refurbish and extend existing terminals) and is being constructed by Larsen and Toubro (L&T), Meinhardt Engineering and Airbiz of Australia (an independent international

AIRPORT EXPRESS A HIT Delhi Metro’s Airport Express Corridor, which takes passengers from Connaught Place to the International Airport in 18 minutes, is slowly becoming popular among Delhiites .The 23 km high-speed link which was opened to the public in February end helps Passengers travel to IGI Airport from New Delhi at a cost of Rs 80 in 18 minutes with one stop in between initially. Currently, the corridor has a 16-hour run from 6 AM to 10 PM, which is likely to go up to 20 hours soon.

Trials of the baggage check-in facility on the Airport Metro Express Line are in the process of starting in view of the launch of the facility on May 1. Representa-

tives of Reliance Infrastructure and Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) will carry out the mock check-in process, during which boarding passes will be issued and baggage checked in at the Metro stations of New Delhi and Shivaji Stadium. Passengers who get boarding passes and check in their baggage at three City Airport Terminals - New Delhi, Shivaji Stadium and Dhaula Kuan - will not have to pay anything extra for the facility.

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AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL A good airport would signal a new India, committed to join the ranks of modern industrialised nations.

The UPA government had launched a modernisation and capacity expansion programme for major airports some years ago, Delhi’s new airport proves the success of public-private partnership model in execution of large infrastructure projects. This airport terminal establishes new global benchmarks. It also exemplifies our country’s resolve to bridge and bridge fast enough the infrastructure deficit in our country

Quality is not something to be reserved for prestigious projects but should become part and parcel of our design process for all our public projects including housing, schools, hospitals and other services.

Providing rural and urban infrastructure efficiently and at the same time achieving high standards must remain our goal. I am happy that the new terminal is not only based on green principles but was also easily accessible to the aged and physically challenged persons.

MANMOHAN SINGH,

SONIA GANDHI,

specialist aviation consultancy) with project management by Parsons Brinckerhoff International Inc (which provides strategic consulting, planning, engineering, and programme and construction management services).

DIAL has engaged Munich Airport International (MUC), the experts in Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT). If anyone visits the T3 these days, one can see the ORAT in full swing: bags being dispatched, check-ins are being effected, passengers being moved through security. A complete dry run, day in and day out for over three months!

Or, take Wipro, which is responsible for complete IT management in T3 and will deliver seamless and highly available airport IT operations. The scope includes airport-specific applications, data centre, networks, security and surveillance systems and end-user systems. Additionally, Wipro will be responsible for managing a host of intelligent systems, including building management systems, access

control, public address and telephony.

For passengers, this engagement will deliver superior customer experience; for airlines, it will deliver fast efficient systems which enable quicker turnaround times.

But it’s not been an easy haul. The original project cost was around `8,975 crore. But estimates say that the project will now cost around `12,700 crore, up 41 per cent over the earlier estimated cost.

DIAL expected that it would be able to

THE TOP 10 >>

Dubai

International Airport Terminal 3

1,500,000 m²

GM RAO,

Chairman, GMR Group

UPA Chairperson

Prime Minister

Beijing

Capital International Terminal 3

986,000 m²

44 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

WIPRO, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COMPLETE IT MANAGEMENT IN T3 AND WILL DELIVER SEAMLESS AND HIGHLY AVAILABLE AIRPORT IT OPERATIONS.

Hong Kong

International Airport Terminal 3

570,000 m²

The GMR group is committed to play a leading role in the development of world class infrastructure in the country. The new Terminal 3 of the IGI airport at Delhi symbolizes the aspirations of a new and vibrant India. It demonstrates the abilities of our planners, designers, engineers and contractors. And as an engine for growth, it opens immense possibilities for the economic development of this region.

TOP AWARD The Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal 3 bagged the British Construction Industry Award (BCIA) for the Best International Project at a gala award ceremony held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on October 14, 2010. The competition was tough with 180 international projects competing for the coveted and the most rigorously judged awards but the choice was unanimous. The event was witnessed by over 900 attendees. Speaking on the occasion after receiving the award, I Prabhakara Rao, Chief Executive Officer- Airport Development of Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), said, “The award validates the diligent and transparent approach adopted

by DIAL. It’s a proud moment for all of us at GMR and DIAL. Our T3 project has now become well-known among the British industry.”

Bangkok

Mexico

Suvarnabhumi Airport City International Airport Terminal 1

563,000 m²

548,000 m²

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INNOVATIVE APPLICATION: Modern technology has been put to use for check-in process and baggage retrieval at T3.

CONSERVING WATER To help conserve water and also meet the requirements at T3 DIAL has taken a deeper plunge into water harvesting. The count of water harvesting structures at the Delhi Airport has been increased from 50 in 2008 to a total of 300 at present. To harvest more rainwater and develop water sustainability at IGI Airport, DIAL has installed more than 300 rainwater harvesting wells. This helps improve water resources at the airport as well as the neighbourhood, and reduces the level of water salinity and pumping energy.

The harvesting wells are regularly cleaned and maintained to improve the water percolation rate.

The basic premise of this design is to recharge groundwater by allowing the run-off water from both the paved and unpaved areas to recharge aquifers through rainwater harvesting structures.

Barcelona

The inauguration of T3 in Delhi is a very satisfying moment for all of us at DIAL. A great airport not only has modern equipment and facilities, but also a high level of service quality. With the combined teamwork of all our partners and the support of the State and Central Government, we have been able to deliver a world class Terminal for the citizens of India. DIAL is taking every step to ensure that the passengers’ experience at T3 and IGIA as a whole is a smooth one and for that we are imparting extensive training to our staff.

KIRAN GRANDHI,

Managing Director - DIAL and Chairman GMR Airports

Dubai

CONSTRUCTION TIME

AIRPORT CAPACITY

Changi Airport - Singapore (T3) Heathrow T5 - London, UK Beijing Airport terminal T3 IGI Airport - T3, New Delhi, India

Delhi

raise over `2,500 crore as refundable security deposits from real estate and hotel companies that bid for the project in the hospitality sector of the airport. But there was a huge controversy surrounding the effort to raise the deposits and by the time the issue was resolved, the red-hot sector had gone into a deep slump.

Instead of `2,500 crore, DIAL managed to raise `900 crore. Add to that an overall nationwide fall of around five per cent in domestic traffic and DIAL’s revenues were affected. Projects like additional taxiways and so on had also escalated the project costs.

AAI projections had visualised a 20 million traffic flow by 2012, but who had reckoned with a 20 per cent year-on-year growth for a straight three years? The estimate was later revised by Mott

22 Million 25 Million 45 Million 34 Million

Seoul

TIME 76 months 60 months 60 months 37 months

Madrid

Airport

International Airport

IGI Airport Terminal 3

Incheon International Airport

Terminal 4 main building

544,066 m²

515,000 m²

502,000 m²

496,000 m²

470,000 m²

Terminal 1

Terminal 1

Barajas Airport

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FACTS

AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL

5.4

168

34

95

9

20

million sq ft area where the terminal is spread

million passengers per annum capacity

level terminal building and 2 piers 1.2km long each

check-in counters

immigration counters for international passengers

common use passenger processing system (CUPPS) counters

78

60

97

20,000

118

8

6,400

4,300

5

800

6.7

3,000

300

28

passenger boarding bridges

automatic walkways alongwith 63 elevators and 34 escalators

metre longest walkway inside T3

metre of conveyor belt capacitated to handle 12,800 bags per hour

level In-line Baggage Handling System

million sq ft of apron area

metre-long “meet-and-greet” area at the entrance

46 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

room transit hotel for passengers

sq m of retail area offering duty-free stores

lane approach road to terminal

cars can be parked at multi-level car parking

Flight Information Display Systems

security cameras monitoring every corner of the airport premises

screens to display information inputs through live camera feeds

MacDonald to close to 38 million. What that meant was some more time at the drawing board and a terminal that would now be close to double the original planned 2,50,000 sq metres.

At present, DIAL has a revenue breakup of roughly 60:40 from aeronautical and non-aeronautical sources. Globally, the non-aero revenue is generally 45-60 per cent of any airport’s revenue — this retail and commercial revenue is used to subsidise the airside operations that include landing and parking fees from airlines. Perhaps, DIAL’s greatest advantage is the huge land bank at Delhi airport. The general assessment is that this is the cash cow that will really steamroll the project

BUSTLING HOSPITALITY SECTOR A vast empty stretch of land off the NH-8 flyover, about a kilometre away from T3 is bustling with double-shift construction activity.

Amidst the concrete and rubble, labourers sweat to give shape to what is dubbed as one of the biggest hospitality districts in India.

The 45-acre land (of the total 90 acre land) allotted by the Delhi International Airport (DIAL) through competitive bids in April 2010 - for “strictly aviation-related commercial businesses” — is being developed by GMR. Bharti Realty has grabbed three plum plots for development of commercial (retail) space. The upcoming district will also be home to eight hospitality majors — Accor, Marriott (with Asian West Hotels), Dusit Thani (with the Bird group), S P Jain Hotels, Lemon Tree Hotels, Intercontinental Hotels, MGM and Hyatt. They will bring in 11 new hotel properties over the next five years, bringing about 4,500 rooms to the National Capital Region (NCR), say industry estimates.

What does 4,500 additional rooms mean for the hotel business in the NCR? The cheery part is that there is massive under-supply of rooms and we are in dire need of value accommodation. The supply of a few thousand rooms will put pressure on both occupancy and room-rentals. That means reduced rates and a smile on the customer’s face.

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AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL in the years ahead with non-aeronautical turnover as high as 70 per cent of all revenue. Of this, 46 per cent (gross) has to go to AAI which is a stakeholder with a 26 per cent shareholding in DIAL. They have now applied for an extension of airport development fee (ADF) by 12 months. It was allowed to collect an estimated `1,827 crore for around 36 months.

Observers have in the last three years viewed GMR’s ability to tweak the system to do its bidding as one of its greatest assets. But insiders say that is unfair and that they have literally worked their soles off in lobbying with the government and “convincing them about every issue that we have raised over the years”. It was a chore that was handled by Subbah Rao in the early days (he has now moved to the power and urban infrastructure division headed by Srinivas Bomidilla) and it is now Narayan Rao who handles that job.

As Director (External Relations), Rao is literally the group’s minister for external affairs in the capital!

On any afternoon, you can spot him in the corridors of the Ministry of Civil Aviation at Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan or at the AAI or at the Delhi State Secretariat or in the labyrinthine corridors of North or South Block. “Perhaps, more secretaries know him than they know anyone else in the

SHOPPING SPREE: Duty free shops at DIAL has been shoppers’ delight attributing to large presence of international brands.

OBSERVERS HAVE IN THE LAST THREE YEARS VIEWED GMR’S ABILITY TO TWEAK THE SYSTEM TO DO ITS BIDDING AS ONE OF ITS GREATEST ASSETS.

group,” said one insider. His crowning moment of glory came last month when over 40 secretaries visited the airport along with the Cabinet Secretary for a final meeting of the NFC (National Facilitation Committee) — and gave a thumbsup to the airport.

But the setting-up of the NFC itself was reflective of the drive and zeal that the then Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel exhibited in the first five years of his tenure. He literally talked the Prime Minister into creating this committee of super

“Passengers are appreciating T3” I PRABHAKAR RAO, CEO, DIAL, ON THE NEW TERMINAL AND FUTURE PLANS What has been the response about T3 in the nine months since it was opened to the public?

The responses have been overwhelming; passengers are appreciating the world-class experience and services at T3. The same reflects in our ACI-ASQ ranking.

Delhi Airport stands fourth in the category of 25 - 40 mn with an ASQ score of 4.49 amongst the globallyrenowned airports.

One or two principal issues that the travelling public have been complaining about in this terminal are the long distances that they have to walk. How are you resolving that issue?

For the convenience of the passenger there are 92 Walkalators in Termi-

48 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

nal3. Also for persons with reduced mobility, senior citizens and mothers with young children there are options of using the buggy services.

The retail and duty free at Delhi airport have been a huge success although there has been some feedback that the prices were high. Could you elaborate the reasons?

Retail and duty free at IGIA offer some of the best global brands in their respective categories like Boggi, Da Milano, Bijou Blanc, Marks & Spencer, Mango, Versace, Remy Martin, Lancome, Parcos, Chivas, etc. Prices of all our offerings are benchmarked with all other world class airports. We have the product offerings catering to all levels of income groups. IGIA is

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POWERING T3

STRONG FOUNDATION: G M Rao, GMR Head (looking at the camera) with Delhi C M Sheila Dikshit (in white sari), the then Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel and Sonia Gandhi, UPA Chairperson at the foundation stone laying ceremony of new integrated terminal and runway in 2007.

secretaries to streamline the construction of the airport at a fast clip and clear the bottlenecks along the way. One major achievement was to get the village of Nangal Dewat cleared. At another level, it took some persuasion to get several temples moved to one omnibus site that is visible as one moves on the Gurgaon highway with Runway 28 in the horizon. Narayan Rao is sanguine: “We want to give a world-class product to Delhi. We had to do it in three years. Without the support of the government, this would have been

amongst the most competitive airports on this account. We are constantly benchmarking our Duty Free prices with the best airports and ensure great price offerings to consumers. Additionally, there is always 5-15 different product promotion running on various product categories.

The Government’s ground handling policy has now been cleared by the High Court. You already have a JV with Celebi and what are your plans for T3?

As per new policy, ground handling services can be provided by four players only. DIAL has already identified four ground handlers who will provide the services once the policy is implemented.

You have set up one of the most sophisticated and complex AOCC in the country at Delhi airport. How useful has this been with respect to operations?

THE PARENT COMPANY,GMR INFRA IS SETTING UP A 420MW POWER PLANT OF ITS OWN TO MEET THE ENERGY NEEDS OF TERMINAL 3.

The Airport Operation Control Centre (AOCC) is the nerve centre of Indira Gandhi International Airport, responsible for monitoring, coordinating and managing day-to-day operations of the airport. AOCC at IGIA is a state-of-the- art establishment with automated real time information on all aircraft and terminal facilities. It is the one-stop centre for stakeholders who require assistance to report and resolve issues encountered in day to day operations at the airport. AOCC’s primary task is to facilitate and support On Time Performance (OTP) of flights. One of the key functions of AOCC is also to provide initial response during any emergency or unusual situation.

Now that Delhi airport is at the top of the list of all the airports in the country, are there plans for the airport to become a cargo hub for Asia? Others are stealing a march over us.

DIAL has recognised the need for an

The parent company,GMR Infra is setting up a 420MW power plant of its own to meet the energy needs of Terminal3.The group intends to feed the surplus power from the captive plant into the northern grid, which would boost availability in Delhi and other states in the region.The gas-fired plant would be built at Jhajjar in Haryana. Tata Consultancy Services has prepared the project report and the generation unit would be constructed in two phases of 210MW each. The airport now consumes around 80MW of power from the main supply grid. The demand is project to rise to 140MW in the medium term and 250MW in the long term, in step with the expansion in passenger and flight capacity. With such a big planned capacity, it is important for DIAL to have its own power supply for uninterrupted functioning of the airport complex.

The additional power to the grid would also benefit Delhi or other states in the region.

Indian cargo hub and has already initiated its efforts to establish Delhi Airport as the cargo gateway of India. A cargo hub is primarily distinguished by the infrastructure, connectivity and efficient operational processes. Delhi Airport, already in the process of developing world class infrastructure will now have the first layer of cargo terminals, on-airport cargo village with second and third layers of forwarders and logistics facilities. Delhi airport is also working on other initiatives like setting up communitybased IT systems with integrated IT platform providing single window clearance, paperless transactions and reduction in errors and processing time, simplification of operational processes for better customer experience, increasing airside capacity, etc. at par with international standards and practices. Efforts are also on to anchor more airlines, contributing towards cargo growth. Currently, approximately 70 per cent of our freight moves as belly cargo.

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2006

Jan - GMR led consortium was awarded the mandate to modernise the Delhi Airport after a competitive bidding process.

April - Operation, Management and Development Agreement (OMDA) signed.

May - Airport handed over to Joint Venture Company (DIAL).

Aug - Transition phase completed.

Sep - DIAL submits master plan for modernisation and restructuring of Delhi Airport.

Oct - DIAL appoints Parsons Brinckerhoff as Project Management Consultants for the moderni-

sation of Delhi Airport.

Nov - Upgradation works of Terminal 2 (International Terminal) commenced.

Dec - DIAL unveils master plan for Delhi Airport.

2008

2007

national Airport.

Dec-DIAL signs financial documents with its project lenders.

Feb - Sonia Gandhi lays foundation stone of Terminal3 at IGI Airport.

May - DIAL completes its first year of operations and Airbus A380 made its maiden landing in India at Delhi Airport.

Oct - DIAL has been awarded the prestigious ISO 9001:2000 quality certificate for Indira Gandhi Inter-

Apr - Airport Operations & Command Centre (AOCC) goes live at the airport.

May - DIAL completes its two years of operations.

Jun - Modernisation works of the international terminal of IGI Airport completed.

Aug - Inaugural flight lands at the new runway at IGI Airport.

Sep - The airport’s third runway opens for commercial operation.

T3 IS THE MAHARAJA’S KINGDOM

WELCOME: Air India’s non-stop from New York — AI-102 — receives a watery welcome as it taxies on the bay to dock at T3.

On July 14, 2010, when Air India announced to the world that it had signed a deal with DIAL to designate T3 as the Maharaja’s major hub, it was a major shot in the arm for the airport operator. A spokesperson for Air India had commented: "The airline aims at re-positioning as a fundamentally different carrier, with an increased focus on providing a seamless passenger experience, while also connecting maximum passengers through non-stop and one-stop routes to destinations on its network."

The AI hub at Delhi is still growing

50 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

to its full potential. AI had planned to introduce non-stop services between Delhi and Melbourne, which would be the only non-stop link between India and Australia. Also part of the plan was to introduce non-stop services from Delhi to Toronto and Chicago in addition to the existing non-stop services to New York. AI would be serving a total 22 international destinations from Delhi — New York, Chicago, Toronto, London, Frankfurt, Paris, Tokyo, Melbourne, Hong Kong, Osaka, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Bangkok, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Jeddah, Riyadh,

Dammam, Kathmandu and Kabul.

"With the planned increases, AI would be operating 143 international services per week offering about 33,000 seats per week in each direction on services out of Delhi... representing an increase of nearly 50 per cent," the Air India official had said.

On its part, DIAL too would increase revenues by 9-12 per cent in a year. The profitability of one is determined by the number of flights that takeoff and land at the airport and the volume of passengers. That is why every airport wants a strong hub carrier, covering the major peak slots. A large number of travellers, who have to fly onward, spend a few hours at an airport using the facilities and shopping, which are key to the viability of a hub.

"Both the airport and the airline are dedicated to creating what is seen as India’s first hub," PS Nair, the then chief executive of DIAL had told reporters.

Air India also realigned its winter schedule so that a large number of its domestic flights would link with international flights, creating a true hub. Air India got 16-18 aerobridges and more than 50 check-in counters in T3. Incidentally, T3 will also be the base for its fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, which require additional space. Preferred gates and parking bays will help cut transfer time from one flight to another by at least one-and-a-half hours, increasing the appeal of the airline.

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Oct - Upgradation of facilities at Haj Terminal.

2009

Feb - New domestic departure terminal 1D inaugurated.

Apr - Commercial operations commenced at new domestic terminal.

2010

Feb - IGI Airport rated as ‘Best Improved Airport’ at ACI Awards.

Jul - New integrated passenger terminal (T3) inaugurated at the airport. In addition, seamless transition of international operations to T3.

ON THE GROWTH TRAJECTORY: Delhi C M Sheila Dikshit lights the lamp at the inauguration of T1D as Praful Patel, G M Rao (extreme left) and then then Secretary Madhavan Nambiar (extreme right) look on.

PLEASANT EXPERIENCE: (L-R)The then Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel; G M Rao, Head, GMR group; P M Manmohan Singh and, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi taking a stroll at T3 after the inauguration and the first of the passengers experience the travelator at the T3.

GIVING BACK TO SOCIETY When GM Rao, chairman of GMR Infrastructure, pledged his entire personal stake of `1,540 crore (`15.4 billion) in the company for philanthropy, it did not surprise many. GMR Group officials say it is the culmination of years of effort from Rao who has been quite active in philanthropic activities for quite some time through GMR Varalakshmi Foundation. It has been setting up schools, hospitals and working towards social upliftment across locations where GMR Infrastructure has projects.

Rao has been working on this foundation for a long time and the decision to pledge his entire 12.5 per cent stake to the foundation is set to give a boost to the foundation. With the resources, its efforts can take a quantum leap.

impossible. If the system had not encouraged and responded, how could we have done it in 37 months?”

If Rao was sorting out the external atmospherics, the internal business was tended by AAI veteran, P S Nair.

A member of the AAI Board before he left the public sector some years back to join GMR, initially, there was much rancour in AAI at his “hitching

DIAL HAS A REVENUE BREAK-UP OF ROUGHLY 60:40 FROM AERONAUTICAL AND NON-AERONAUTICAL SOURCES. GLOBALLY, THE NON-AERO REVENUE IS GENERALLY 45-60 PER CENT OF THEIR REVENUE.

up with the enemy” so to speak. In fact, so angry was the then leadership at AAI that they moved heaven and earth to deny Nair permission to work in GMR. It was in a sense a silver lining.

He moved to Hyderabad, kept a low profile and later took charge as CEO of the Greenfield Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. Close to a year back, he moved to Delhi to head all operations.

“T3 is much, much bigger, but we are ready. We have done it successfully at Hyderabad as well as T1D,” said Nair in a matter-of-fact tone. His own remarkable ascendancy is a reflection of the capacity of public sector managers caught in the crossfire of red tape, vigilance and CBI inquiries when they set about executing projects.

Believe it or not a `12,000-plus crore project-6, 00,000 cubic mt of concrete, 1, 00,000 tonnes of steel, 100,000 sq mt of glass walls- has been done without it getting under the scanner. That’s probably why it’s come up in 37 months. As G M Rao says: “We had a vision and everyone helped implement it.” Jai ho!

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Hyderabad ready to welcome the world HYDERABAD’S RAJIV GANDHI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS READY TO ASSUME ITS POSITION AS AN IMPORTANT HUB ON THE GLOBAL AVIATION MAP. IN ADDITION TO TWO IMPORTANT FACTORS GOING FOR IT — THE RAPIDLY EXPANDING INDIAN AVIATION SECTOR AND HYDERABAD’S STRATEGIC LOCATION — THE AIRPORT HAS CHALKED OUT A THREEPRONGED STRATEGY TO ACHIEVE ITS GOALS.

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hen in April last year, GMR Hyderabad International airport won the Routes Airport Marketing Award in the Indian Sub-Continent category in the Routes Asia 2010 conference in Adelaide, the airport’s operators took the honour in their stride. Winning awards comes naturally to the GMR-led Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA). And as for the Routes award, the 2010 one was the second one for the airport: it had won the same award in 2009.

RGIA WAS ALSO RATED THE BEST IN THE WORLD BY AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL (ACI) IN THE 5-15 MILLION PASSENGERS CATEGORY FOR ITS AIRPORT SERVICE QUALITY FOR 2009.

RGIA was also rated the best in the world by Airports Council International (ACI) in the 5-15 million passengers category for its Airport Service Quality for 2009.

The Airport has also been adjudged as the 5th best across all categories, both in the world as well as the Asia Pacific Region.

Under the terms of the concession agreement, GMR RGIA was mandated to achieve a score of 3.5 on a 5 point scale within three years of operation. Against this, for the first time in Indian aviation history, the airport bagged the title of the best airport in the world

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SERVICE QUALITY: The lounge at RGIA.

averaging a rating of 4.44 against the mandated 3.5.

These honours were strong affirmations for the kind of service provided by RGIA. Capitalising on its strategic location on the map of India, the airport is within two hours flying time of most metro cities in the country. Internationally too, Hyderabad makes an ideal transit point for flights from west to east and vice versa. Located around 25 kms from the city and built to the capacity of 40 million passengers per annum, the RGIA is designed to handle new large aircraft (NLA), including the Airbus A380.

The airport which was commissioned in a record time of 31 months in March 2008, has an initial capacity of 12 million passengers per annum (MPPA) and 100,000 tons of cargo handling capacity per annum. The airport provides world-class facilities and infrastructure, in accordance with ICAO standards and practices to handle large aircraft and international traffic. In fact, the RGIA is the first Indian airport to have the Airport Operations Control Centre which acts as the nerve centre for all coordination within the airport.

Other salient features of the airport include an integrated terminal that offers an international experience with a local flavour, an airport village with shopping arcade, 305room business hotel located just three kilometers away from the airport, conference facilities for the ROCK SOLID: The ATC Tower at the airport.

THE AIRPORT WHICH WAS COMMISSIONED IN A RECORD TIME OF 31 MONTHS IN MARCH 2008, HAS AN INITIAL CAPACITY OF 12 MILLION PASSENGERS PER ANNUM.

56 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

business traveller and integrated modern IT systems. The airport has 13 lounges including the airline lounges being operated by Air India and Kingfisher. Plaza Premium operates the country’s first airline independent lounges at both domestic and international departure concourses, offering services like business centre, baggage hold with pick-up and delivery, 28 bed Nap and Shower besides spa services as well.

RGIA is the first airport in the world to be awarded the Leadership Energy and Environment Design (LEED) silver rating for its ecofriendly design. It has also won the ‘Outstanding Concrete Structure of Andhra Pradesh’ award from the Indian Concrete Institute.

Awards apart, RGIA is in innovation mode at all times. According to Vikram Jaisinghani, CEO, RGIA, the thrust is now on a revamp of the departure area. “We will be undertaking a revamp of the departure retail area, and enhancing the shopping experience of passengers. We propose to double the area of both recreation and shopping for the passengers by creating new and innovative concepts. The major thrust would be to make goods and services available to the passengers at city prices. The entire terminal modification project would be carried out keeping the passengers’ convenience in mind. The idea is to give a unique experience to the passengers by (Continued on Page 58)

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TOURISTS LOVE RGIA GMR Hyderabad International Airport (GHIAL) was recently awarded the prestigious National Tourism Award 2009-10, under the best airport category. The airport has been adjudged as the best airport in India for actively promoting tourism, not only at Andhra Pradesh but also at a pan-India level.

The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, presents the National Tourism Awards to various segments of the travel and tourism industry every year, that includes, states/union territories, hotels, travel agents, tour operators, airports, etc., to recognise their performance with an aim to promote tourism. The award was accepted by P S Nair, Chief Executive Officer-Corporate, Airport Sector and Raveen Pinto, Head Aero Commercials and Route Development, GHIAL at the award ceremony in New Delhi.

The National Tourism Awards 2009-10 under the best airport category was open for all the Indian airports, providing the best facilities to passengers and guests. The criteria for selection included: Creation of tourist friendly atmosphere, infrastructure and initiatives to support tourism by the airport; Facilities provided to visitors such as seating facilities, toilets, eating outlets, etc at the airports; Maintenance and upkeep of the a irport; Adaptation of eco-friendly practices; Availability of transport facility from airport to nearest city centre; Display of proper signages at important locations; Facilities for the physically

challenged persons, particularly at the point of boarding; and, Other relevant facilities at the airport.

Hyderabad Airport has shown excellence as per the prescribed criteria. The airport has the best infrastructure and facilities, with an emphasis on eco-friendly practices. Facilities and services provided are passenger-friendly with special attention towards convenience and comfort. Hyderabad Airport is also actively working with the Government of Andhra Pradesh, airlines, travel agents and other related bodies to promote Andhra Pradesh Tourism on the global platform. The airport participates jointly with Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) in various events to promote destination-Hyderabad internationally. Under tourism promotion, APTDC has a 24x7 counter at the airport to provide information about tourism packages. Other joint efforts include promotion of ‘Destination Hyderabad’ to all passengers, from untapped destinations to sumptuous cuisine; promotion of business packages for Tirupati, a key temple tourist

GHIAL WAS RECENTLY AWARDED THE PRESTIGIOUS NATIONAL TOURISM AWARD 2009-10, UNDER THE BEST AIRPORT CATEGORY.

spot; promotion of medical, film tourism, etc. The airport also makes maximum utilisation of the advertising space for promoting various passenger informative advertisements, like those on India’s tourism destinations and air connectivity advertisements. Hyderabad Airport has a complete focus on developing and promoting tourism by providing world-class infrastructure, passenger-friendly facilities, and its innovative ways to boost tourism and traffic out of Hyderabad.

Andhra Pradesh has been assured full cooperation in tapping tourism potential by the central government. In fact, the then Union Minister for Tourism and Housing Kumari Selja told media persons that she hoped that the 24x7 information-cum-reservation centre she had inaugurated at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad sometime last year, would give a boost to tourism in the state.

Tourists had been availing information from the 24x7 centre since the airport began functioning in 2008, but the facility to make reservations at AP Tourism hotels or resorts from the centre was inaugurated recently.

In addition to existing facilities for travellers can experience the luxurious spas located near Gate 25 and Gate 22 of domestic departures, inside the security hold area. These spas are operated by the nationwide airport spa chain O2 Spa. These spas offer services customised to passengers on-the-go.

Services include Foot Reflexology, Body Massages, Neck and Back Massages, Facials, Pedicures and Manicures. All the services are competitively priced and are a perfect blend of Thai concepts with Indian elements.

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WORLD CLASS: The airport village at RGIA.

(Continued from Page 56)

creating concepts which would be first of its kind in the airport sector.”

Upgrading facilities for passengers is only one part of the RGIA story. The airport has plans to develop an aerotropolis on 1,000 acres, which will promote education, healthcare, entertainment, hospitality, commercial and logistics ports around the airport. To begin with, the airport authorities signed an agreement with the Apollo Group to set up a hospital. In addition, the airport has got in touch with international corporates to form joint venture partnerships on the proposed 1,000 acres. An aviation special economic zone spread over 250 acres is also scheduled to be set up.

The airport has also started some joint venture projects. In February 2010, a 50-50 joint venture was signed with Malaysian Airlines for a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility that is all set to begin its first phase of operations this year. This is in addition to National Aviation Company of India Ltd (NACIL) setting up its airframe MRO facility on five acres of the airport land. In addition, the world’s top aircraft engine maker CFM International has inaugurated its engine maintenance training centre at the Hyderabad Airport Aerospace Park.

While facilities for passengers will be upgraded, the airport is looking to position itself as a global hub. First on the list is the enhancement of regional connectivity. As CEO Jaisinghani explained, the basic requirement for an airport to become a global hub is to create an efficient hub-and spoke system. For that, it is essential to have a substantial number of frequencies and destinations. The only way that can be possible is by encouraging regional connectivity. Once

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RGIA achieves that, the airport will become a gateway to southern and central India.

The CEO believes that the regional routes out of Hyderabad were unserved and underserved. In fact, the percentage capacity deployed on non-metro routes is

BUSINESS SCHOOL IN AN AIRPORT The country’s first fullyfledged international business school campus will be built at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport and will become an integral part of its aerotropolis vision. In a partnership between airport operator GMR and the Toronto-based Schulich School of Business at York University, Schulich will develop the facilities, curriculum, staff and learning programmes for 120 students, while GMR will provide the land and the physical campus.

The campus development is pending final approvals by the boards of York University and the GMR Group, admissions are expected to commence no later than 2013.

According to V Raghunathan, CEO, GMR Varalakshmi Foundation,”GMR will bring its world-class infrastructure development skills to the table, while the Schulich School of Business will bring its expertise as one of the world’s top-rated MBA programmes and Executive Education providers.”

only 35 per cent (see interview).

However, according to reports and surveys, the scope for the development of regional connectivity was immense.

It is towards the enhancement of regional connectivity that the airport is keen to attract freighter airlines, grow cargo tonnage and possibly position Hyderabad first as a cargo hub of the country. The airport management has crafted out a three-pronged strategy. The first is the establishment of a logistics hub. The airport has made substantial progress in discussions with major carriers for a strategic tie-up at Hyderabad. This initiative will help transform RGIA into a logistics hub for India and the sub-continent.

The second part of the strategy includes the formation of a Free Trade Zone (FTZ). The airport has developed 20 acres of FTZ area within the 270 acre Aviation SEZ at the airport in order to facilitate the fast growing logistics trade. The fact that the FTZ is inside the airport makes it unique and the first of its kind in India. It will bring down transportation costs and turnaround times for movement of goods and services for the FTZ users and will benefit the end-customers in turn.

The airport has started discussions with some large global logistics operators and would possibly tie up FTZ contracts with at least two such global operators within the next few weeks. The FTZ will allow its users to warehouse, distribute, trade and value-add goods and services for their customers.

The third link in the strategy is improving surface connectivity. In its efforts to connect Hyderabad with other major cities in India through a surface network, the airport operators are designing a scheduled Road Feeder Service (RFS).

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“Regional connectivity is the first step toward a global hub” VIKRAM JAISINGHANI, CEO, RGIA, ON THE AIRPORT’S KEY AREAS OF FOCUS IN THE COMING DAYS What are your priorities?

First, we would like to enhance regional connectivity at Hyderabad airport. For an airport to transform itself into a global hub, the fundamental requirement is to evolve a hub and spoke strategy efficiently. The hub and spoke model envisages creation of a dense network of frequencies and destinations.

Regional connectivity is the first step in this direction.

Considering this fact, we want to enhance regional connectivity, thereby establishing Hyderabad Airport as a gateway to South and Central India and a hub of choice. Currently, the regional routes are largely unserved and underserved out of Hyderabad. At Hyderabad, percentage capacity deployed on non-metro routes is only 35 per cent, but based on various reports, there is a huge demand for regional services. The National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) reports have shown that several Tier II/III cities have average household incomes that are as high, or higher, than the metro cities and are growing faster. There are 19 cities which have been identified by Hyderabad Airport for enhancing regional connectivity. The benefits of enhanced regional connectivity will be: 1) strong feeder traffic to domestic trunk routes; 2) strong feeder traffic to international routes; 3) increased transfer traffic; and, 4) improved route network, creating additional travel options.

What will be your key areas of focus?

Apart from enhancing regional connectivity, revamp of departure retail area, enhancing the passenger shopping experience and attracting cargo traffic, we will be going all out to retain our world No 1 position in the ACI ASQ ranking as well as improve upon our score. The best way to do this will be by delighting customers with pleasurable experiences at RGIA. We also need to work together with various stakeholders at the airport so that all

possible sources, analysed and focused on actions with the help of all stakeholders. We have been helped by the commitment shown by all the regulatory authorities and our business partners who worked shoulder to shoulder with our team in the airport making it possible.

Are there any expansion plans on the cards?

The airport is built to take a passenger load of 12 mppa in the first phase. The expansion will be effected as and when we reach the traffic triggers defined in the master plan. In its final form, RGIA will be a twin runway airport catering to over 40 mppa.

of us provide a better, faster response as a team without any divides and make flying a great experience for all passengers. We have in place a business excellence framework which will go a long way towards helping us to achieve these goals.

You want your airport to be the hub of the region. How do you plan to go about that? a. By enhancing regional connectivity to facilitate more domestic and international connectivity; b. By improving our transfer processes; and, c. By working together with airlines to make Hyderabad the preferred choice of passengers.

The airport performed admirably last year. How have you achieved this success?

Through relentless focus on improving service standards, regular training of employees of GHIAL as well as service providers, including Government agencies and by listening to our customers (passengers, airlines, freight forwarders) through proactive feedback.

Communication, continuous training and concentration on continuous improvements are the key strategies of service quality at RGIA. Well-established systems and processes integrated with all stakeholders systems have enabled us to achieve our common goal: passenger delight. We have also enhanced service quality continually by understanding the customer satisfaction levels and expectations from all

A responsive government could give HIAL the push it requires to get into the big leagues. What more do you expect from the government?

We have an excellent working relationship with the Governments of Andhra Pradesh and India. We get all the cooperation we require for the smooth running of the airport from all agencies.

However, the Government could take some positive steps leading to benefits for the airport. The government could: (i) Classify airports as an industry ; (ii) Provide better connectivity by joining the existing metro terminals at Falaknuma and Shilparamam through RGIA; and (iii) Provide improved basic infrastructure at feeder airports like Rajahmundry, Vijayawada, etc.

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RGIA takes solid steps for cargo INNOVATIVE MOVES

BY THE HYDERABAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN THE CARGO SECTOR LIKE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COUNTRY’S FIRST PHARMA ZONE, WILL GO A LONG WAY TO POSITION THE AIRPORT AS AN INTERNATIONAL CARGO HUB.

60 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

I

ndia does not have an international cargo hub and at almost every air cargo/airport conference, the demand for the establishment of an international cargo hub is raised — only to be brushed aside or forgotten. The country’s new growth phase can be achieved by transforming ourselves into a major regional hub. The country is ideally positioned to stake its claim to this position because of its unique geographical location and ideal position between Asia and Europe.

Also, the country’s economy is driven by domestic consumption. Unlike most other hubs, the country has the power to consume and not just transship commodities through our airports. In addition, the Free Trade Agreement with SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) provides India an opportunity to consolidate movement into and out of the SAARC region.

RGIA has chalked out plans to transform itself into a cargo hub. The airport has a capacity of handling 100,000 tonnes.

Spanning a total area of 14,330 sq m of which the international section is around 6,610 sq mt and the domestic is 4,346 sq mt, GMR has plans to enhance the area and the facilities by setting up a bigger cold chain storage as well as a perishable warehouse in the cargo area so that by the end of 2011-12, the airport will be able to carry an additional capacity of 40,000 tonnes from the 60,000 tonnes it does today.

The Greenfield airport has seen cargo volumes rising constantly over the years — from 46,411 tonnes in 2006-07 (April

MODERN: The cargo terminal building at RGIA.

2006 - March 2007) to 66,482 tonnes in 2009-10 (April 2009 - March 2010) — leading the operators to launch the ambitious plan to turn the airport into a cargo hub.

Hyped as the country’s first airportbased dedicated pharmaceutical cargo storage and handling facility, the Pharma Zone is a joint venture between Hyderabad Menzies Air Cargo Private Ltd. (HMACPL), a unit of UK’s Menzies Aviation and the operator of the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd. (GHIAL). While GMR holds 51 per cent of the stake, Menzies has 49 per cent.

Inaugurated by Kiran Kumar Grandhi, Business Chairman, Airports, GMR Group, the Zone has the capacity to handle 3,600 tonnes annually and will be able meet the projected requirement of 7,000 tonnes next year and 30,000 tonnes by 2015-16.

According to HMACPL CEO Paul Smith, around 70 per cent of the export cargo from Hyderabad comprised pharma products. The state-of-the-art temperature-controlled facility had been so designed that pharma products like bulk drugs, raw material, formulations, medicines and vaccines could be handled safely.

The first airport-based dedicated temperature-controlled pharmaceutical handling facility in the country, there are chambers with temperature ranges from 2-8 degrees C to 15-25 degrees C — both in sterile and non-sterile zones. Additionally, some of the Zone’s features include temperaturetracking and monitoring with SMS, e-mail

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STORAGE AT ITS BEST: Inside the Pharma Zone at RGIA.

and audible alarm system and office facilities for customs and drug controller for rapid clearance.

After the inauguration of the Pharma Zone, Lufthansa Cargo and GHIAL signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop the airport into a major Asian cargo hub for the shipment of temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products.

Lufthansa operates two weekly flights from the airport and is the only international carrier to do so.

According to the Memorandum of Understanding, a modern infrastructure will be established at the airport to meet the complex requirements of reliable, temperature-controlled transport solutions.

Under the terms of the partnership, Lufthansa Cargo will provide the capacity for the transport of temperature-sensitive cargo.

In fact, looking at the demand for pharma products, Lufthansa has planned to station for the first time outside Germany, its Opticoolers at Hyderabad airport that it showcased in August 2010.

Martin Schlingensiepen, Vice President Product Management at Lufthansa Cargo, speaking at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding said, “India is the world’s largest market for generics. The demand for temperature-controlled transport will continue to grow substantially in the coming years. A strong partnership with GMR Hyderabad International Airport will enable us to offer our local customers, a tailor-made product for the fast and reliable transport of pharmaceuticals.”

The airport is also wooing Malaysia Airlines Cargo Sdn Bhd (MASkargo), the cargo division of Malaysia Airline System Bhd to start using the Pharma Zone.

Malaysia, incidentally, has also been ramping up its biotech industry.

Now that Hyderabad has been handling around 1.5 lakh tonnes of cargo

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annually, GMR has plans to develop the airport into a cargo hub for the country.

According to the plans, a Free Trade Warehouse Zone (FTWZ), was being developed on 19.8 acres close to the Aerospace SEZ near the airport. The FTWZ will aid logistic companies to store cargo for both short and long terms without attracting import duty.

Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport has made astounding progress in the last two-and-a-half years.

Commissioned on March 23, 2008, the airport’s cargo complex is now regarded as the foremost in India. It has implemented the concept of an Integrated Cargo Facility housing both domestic and international facilities under one roof. The Air Cargo Complex has a built-in area of 14,330 sq meters with a capacity to handle cargo throughput of 100,000 MT annually. The air cargo section has dedicated cargo apron facilities both for handling regular and freighter operations.

The airport is building up on the state’s pharma-manufacturing potential to emerge to emerge as a global pharma hub.

According to ORS Rao, Director, Cygnus Business Consulting & Research, Andhra Pradesh has become the preferred destination for investments in pharmaceuticals

LOOKING AT THE DEMAND FOR PHARMA PRODUCTS, LUFTHANSA HAS PLANNED TO STATION FOR THE FIRST TIME OUTSIDE GERMANY, ITS OPTICOOLERS AT HYDERABAD AIRPORT.

for Indian as well as multinational companies. Speaking to Express Pharma magazine sometime ago, Rao had said that the state held a dominant position in the pharma industry with 33 percent share of bulk drugs produced in the country. In value terms, the industry was worth $1.6 billion. Andhra Pradesh exports $500 million of pharma products from its more than 2,500 pharma companies.

Transshipment Facilities: In line with the airport’s objective of offering integrated cargo solutions, RGIA approached Customs to allow transshipments from the common user cargo terminal. RGIA was granted approval to set up a separate transshipment area within the integrated cargo terminal which is fully operational. Cargo operators after obtaining necessary approvals from Customs can now transship both import and export cargo from the dedicated transshipment area. The integrated cargo terminal concept results in the efficient handing/taking over, handling and movements process for transshipment cargo.

Security Partnership Programme : DHL and Hyderabad Menzies Air Cargo Pvt Ltd (HMACPL), Hyderabad recently signed a security partnership for its freight forwarding division, DHL Global Forwarding. Through this partnership, both the organisations would work together and agree on standard operating procedures (SOP) for high value and high risk air cargo, to share best practices and information on crime trends to further improve product delivery to customers.

Cargo Satellite Building : RGIA is the only airport in India to provide a dedicated Cargo Satellite Building (CSB) at a short distance from the integrated cargo terminal. The CSB provides facilities for trade such as warehouse and office space for logistics operators. The building is a multi-floor structure with the ground floor dedicated for warehousing operations and offices on first and second floor covering a total of approximately 11,000 sq m.

Customs ICES Version 1.5 Implementation: In July 2010, RGIA was the airport site chosen by Indian Customs for migration and implementation of ICES’s Version 1.5. Customs chose RGIA for the go-live over other airports because of its superior infrastructure and facilities offered. Indian Customs started automating the process of cargo clearance a few years ago and upgraded to Version 1.5 in 2010 with an objective to help industries become more competitive and bring in efficiencies by way of automation through EDI.

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Mumbai: To the top — quietly RUNNING CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SMOOTHLY AND EFFICIENTLY WHEN LESS THAN HALF OF THE AIRPORT SPACE IS AVAILABLE FOR AIRPORT ACTIVITIES IS INDEED A TASK. SMART THINKING, DEFT PLANNING AND A RELENTLESS FOCUS ON IMPLEMENTATION HAS BROUGHT GVK RICH REWARDS.

H

ow do you run a smooth and efficient airport operation when less than half of the airport space is available for airport activities as much of its land had been illegally occupied by slums and other institutions that have been on the land for years. It requires some smart thinking, deft planning and a relentless focus on implementation.

That’s what the GVK-operated

64 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL, is a Public-Private Partnership joint venture between GVK, BSDM, ACSA Global and Airports Authority of India). MIAL was awarded the mandate for operating and modernising the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) and has been focusing on that these last few years. Since taking over airport operations in 2006, MIAL has brought about a number of changes

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PASSENGER IS PRIORITY: Mumbai airport has witnessed number of changes with an ongoing focus on passenger convenience.

at CSIA with an ongoing focus on passenger convenience and comfort in the long term.

MIAL is currently implementing a master plan, which includes building a new integrated passenger terminal at Sahar with state-of-the-art infrastructure and facilities to cater to passenger traffic of 40 million per annum. In the last four years, MIAL has received a number of national and international accolades for its modernisation efforts.

It isn’t easy when there are myriad issues that come up while operating India’s busiest and most-congested airport as you ramp up to provide global scale services to 45 million passengers three years from now.

GVK INCREASES SHAREHOLDING IN MIAL GVK Airport Holdings Private Limited (GAHPL), a step-down subsidiary of GVK Power & Infrastructure Limited, has signed a share purchase agreement with Bid Services Division (Mauritius) Limited (BSDM) to buy a 13.5 per cent stake in Mumbai International Airport Private Ltd (MIAL).

As a result, the equity shareholding of the GVK in MIAL will increase to 50.5 per cent from the existing 37 per cent. This agreement is subject to regulatory and other approvals.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman G V Krishna Reddy said: “The Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai, is GVK’s first and flagship airport project in India. As part of our overall stated objective of consolidating our presence in the airports sector in India, we have taken this significant step of increasing our shareholding in MIAL. This signifies our commitment to the airports sector and further reinforces our vision of transforming CSIA into a world class airport.”

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“Runway upgradation is aimed at an efficient airside infrastructure” MUMBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LIMITED MANAGING DIRECTOR G V SANJAY REDDY SPEAKS ABOUT THE ONGOING MODERNISATION PROGRAMME OF MUMBAI AIRPORT, LAND ENCROACHMENT AND MORE… Does the revenue share promised

by GVK to the Government of India for taking over Mumbai airport under the PPP framework still leaves enough money for the private operator to carry on its operation in a no-financial strain manner?

Currently, yes. Going forward, tariffs will be determined by AERA taking into consideration our concession agreement with AAI and as per the model prescribed in the State Support Government with Government of India. If there is no deviation by AERA in determination of our tariffs from model prescribed in State Support Government, hopefully strain on financials will be minimal.

Can you spell the details of the revenue share and how have the revenue streams been?

Traditionally for CSIA, the revenue streams have primarily been three: aeronautical, non-aeronautical and cargo operations. Indian airports including CSIA have primarily been dependent on the aeronautical stream to drive revenues. With the process of airport modernisation now firmly underway, Indian airports are now geared up to fully exploit commercial opportunities. At the same time, the aviation sector has turned the corner last year after a difficult 2009 and passenger traffic is back on track.

Traditionally, for any airport, there has always been a need to balance its aeronautical and non- aeronautical revenues. Airports globally have striven to maximize their revenues through nonaeronautical sources and key airports worldwide account for as much as 70 per cent of their revenues from nonaero sources. In fact, for an airport operator, a financially healthier option

66 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

added impetus on commercial revenues that will accrue from non-aeronautical sources to generate profitability. In 2011, MIAL will further fine tune its offerings in areas such as Duty Free, Food and Beverage and brand retail to achieve this.

has always been to depend more on non-aero revenues,which is considered to be a steady stream as compared to the fickle aero one, which is more affected by external factors.

In the last close to five years since MIAL took over operations at CSIA, it has been our concerted effort to develop the non-aeronautical opportunities as part of an overall thrust. In 2007, CSIA’s revenue from non-aeronautical sources was 50 per cent and aero was close to 50 per cent. In 2008, non-aero jumped to 57 per cent, while aero remained at 43 per cent. For the year 2009, CSIA clocked a even higher percentage of revenue from non-aero sources like car parking, shopping rentals and advertisements as compared to aero ones like aircraft landing, parking charges and check in counter rentals. The ratio of aero to non-aero now is 40:60.

With an increased focus on commercial, a significant increase in nonaero revenue is anticipated in the future. This will be the result of an

In view of the encroachment on Mumbai airport land, has there been any delay in your rollout programme in terms of services you had desired to provide when you took over the airport ? If yes, can you please provide details?

One of the most complex and unique infrastructure projects ever undertaken in India, the modernisation of CSIA has seen its own set of challenges and opportunities in the close to five years since MIAL took over operations. This project is unlike any of the other international airports anywhere in the world.

To begin with, CSIA finds itself in a unique position in that it is a highly constrained and landlocked airport with under 2000 acres of land, of which around 300 acres is occupied by slums.

This is in sharp contrast to airports in India and overseas where space is definitely not a constraint. In fact, major airports around the world which handle lesser traffic, have between 5000 and 10,000 acres of land available for expansion.

Though a part of the airport land has been encroached, we at MIAL took this up as a challenge in 2006 and have continued through the last five years with our modernisation plans. As a result there has been no perceptible delay in terms of services or infrastructure enhancements or passenger convenience offerings. Additionally, despite CSIA being landlocked, MIAL undertook the modernisation process while the airport was still operational. MIAL

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also initiated several steps to unlock the land which was needed for increasing airport capacity.

In 2007, within just a year of taking over operations at CSIA, MIAL opened a new domestic arrival terminal at 1B as a result of which 65 per cent of the domestic arrivals shifted from Terminal 1A to 1B. In fact, Terminal 1B, international Terminals 2 B and 2 C and Terminal 1A have been refurbished considerably over a period of time in the last few years resulting in expansion of capacity to meet the increase in traffic.

A brand new domestic Terminal 1C connecting 1A and 1B was unveiled in April 2010. Additionally, in the last nearly five years there have been a number of changes at CSIA such as additional check-in counters, faster immigration, free wi-fi, new retail options for dutyfree shopping, better housekeeping, improved signages, fast food kiosks, better kerbside management, and smoother traffic flow, with a clear focus on passenger convenience and comfort in the long term.

CSIA is also equipped with a Cross Runway system, designated as 09/27 (Primary Runway) and 14/32 (Secondary Runway), with both intersecting each other at a common point. In the nearly five years of operations, it has been the constant focus on the part of MIAL to make optimal use of the existing cross-runway operations to augment capacity, enhance efficiency of operations and handle the growing increase in passenger traffic at CSIA. Meanwhile, currently as a part of the overall modernisation process of CSIA, MIAL has undertaken a complete reconstruction of both the runways.

This upgradation is aimed at creating an efficient airside infrastructure, which is the core of an airport.

At MIAL, our priority has been and will continue to remain offering worldclass facilities and services to passengers with no delays. The new integrated terminal T2 is in line with MIAL’s vision to transform CSIA into one of the world’s best airports that consistently delights customers and be the pride of Mumbai. T2 will be equipped with a state-of-the-art design and will be completed by 2013.

It was reported recently that GVK proposed to buy out 13.5 stake in MIAL held by Bidvest group based in Mauritius? How do you propose

TO ENJOY IT ALL: Passengers can avail world-class facilities at Mumbai airport.

to pay the sum of US$ 287 million for the stake purchase without diluting the equity?

We are buying 13.5 per cent stake from our South African partners Bidvest. We have entered into a share purchase agreement for a consideration of US $287 mn. We are required to pay this at the end of three years from the date the transaction becomes effective and we have 90 days to ensure all the conditions are satisfied for the transaction to be effective. Since we have three years to pay this money we will evaluate the options of funding in due course.

AT MIAL, OUR PRIORITY HAS BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN OFFERING WORLDCLASS FACILITIES AND SERVICES TO PASSENGERS WITH NO DELAYS. When GVK began modernising the Mumbai airport, it had taken a lon- term debt of `4200 cr from a consortium of banks led by IDBI. Has all of it been paid back and is there any new borrowing for the new terminal that is being built?

Long-term debt of `4200 crore was sanctioned for overall airport development including the new terminal. So far we have availed only about `2500 crore and the balance would be availed in next two-three years as the project

development progresses. Repayment of this loan starts from financial year 2015.

Therefore, nothing has been repaid so far. There are no additional borrowings which are considered as of now.

Should the Navi Mumbai airport come up as scheduled in three years’ time from now and opens its first phase, will it impact MIAL business ?

It is a well-known and well-documented fact that the city of Mumbai is in urgent need of another airport considering the potential growth in passenger traffic in the future. CSIA is currently witnessing a rate of growth of around 15 per cent in terms of passenger traffic and is likely to clock over 29 million passengers at the end of the financial year 2010-11. In line with the projected overall economic growth, this trend is likely to continue over the next few years. The new integrated terminal T2 that will be completed by 2013, is being designed to accommodate 40 million passengers per year.

Moreover, going forward, Mumbai will always continue to have increased passenger traffic over the years considering it is India’s financial centre. The above only reinforces the need for the Navi Mumbai airport to come up as per the proposed schedule.

As regards having an impact on MIAL’s business, globally there has been a trend of two or more international airports co-existing in major cities (especially those with a high incidence of passenger traffic) without each affecting the performance or directly impacting the business of the other. Therefore, as and when the Navi Mumbai airport were to begin operations, we do not see it impacting MIAL’s business.

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From T 34 to 48!

MUMBAI AIRPORT IS AIMING HIGH: IT HOPES TO DO 48 FLIGHTS PER HOUR FROM SOMETIME NEXT YEAR. THE IDEA IS TO ADD MORE CAPACITY TO THE ALREADY SATURATED AIRPORT. IF APPROVED, IT WOULD MEAN A FEW ADDITIONAL FLIGHTS A DAY FOR PASSENGERS TRAVELLING IN AND OUT OF MUMBAI.

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he ambitious project to ramp up the numbers comes in the wake of MIAL’s decision last year to get UK’s air traffic service provider NATS to study how the capacity of the airport can be increased. NATS has already made a presentation to the Civil Aviation Ministry and it is now officially a work in progress.

So what inspires MIAL to recruit NATS? Simple, it is being inspired by London’s legendary ‘other’ airport, Gatwick that has achieved global eminence for doing 60 movements per hour using a single runway. MIAL’s proposal for 48 flight movements an hour — approved by the DGCA — would take another year to implement.

NATS will utilise a number of software simulations and modelling tools for the purpose of runway and airport capacity determination, identify the bottlenecks that limited airport capacity, enhancement of capacity achieved through improvement in air traffic procedures besides making changes to physical infrastructure, better ATC equipment, improved ground handling

system, ATM tools, etc.

Mumbai has a cross runway 14-32 and simultaneous runway operations occur during the peak hours in the morning and evening. Currently, the airport does around 34 movements an hour on an average, but airport officials are categorical that on a day-to-day basis, the number is much higher.

To achieve higher movements on a consistent basis, pilots will have to be educated on clearing the runway in the shortest possible time and air traffic controllers will have to undergo additional training. MIAL will also have to build more rapid exit taxiways.

Lack of new slot availability at CSIA is one reason why airlines have found it difficult to introduce new flights in and out of Mumbai despite the growing passenger traffic. Over the past two years, the Civil Aviation Ministry rejected proposals from at least 15 international airlines that were keen to start operations to Mumbai. Analysts said this mismatch in demand and supply is one of the reasons why airfares out of Mumbai shoot up during the peak travelling season.

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Poor runway infrastructure is another reason why flights end up hovering over Mumbai airport for 20-40 minutes, waiting to land.

Airport officials said 48 movements an hour is not an unreasonable target and, in fact, the airport has seen high movements despite the secondary runway being in use from 9 am to 5 pm. In real terms this seems like a marginal increase considering MIAL has already approved 44 flight movements per hour for Mumbai, including 36 commercial flights per hour and an additional eight

general aviation aircraft movements.

This should really not be difficult especially when the main runway will be in use again.

Currently, the main runway is under renovation. As a result, the secondary runway is in use from 9 am to 5 pm, which has lesser capacity to handle flights per hour. On a good day, when weather conditions are perfect, runway 09-27 can do 44 flight movements an hour, according to the ATC. The secondary runway 14-32 can do up to 36 flight movements an hour. When weather conditions are not ideal, flights spill over to the next hour, adding to the cumulative delays.

MIAL first took up the job of recarpeting the shorter cross-runway and completed the job in March 2010. Once it had this strip with it, it then planned to undertake the re-carpeting and widening of the principal runway. The job on this started in November 2010 and will be finished by June 2011. For this purpose, the airport has closed this runway.

In fact, a senior official of Jet Airways stated that in the coming summer schedule, beginning April 2011 (with the primary runway in CSIA remaining closed for eight hours a day between Monday and Friday till June 2011), the carrier was planning to operate widebody Airbus A 330s to and from Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. According to Jet Airways official P K Sinha, the airline was thinking of taking on lease two A 330s with 230-seat capacity, in two class configuration. Jet was planning to operate 20 flights a day with this widebody aircraft. With domestic air travel growing by nearly 20 per cent, all airlines both domestic and foreign, wanted 573 daily slots from Mumbai. However, capacity constraint issues have also forced the Indian regulator to freeze flights from Mumbai to 490, that is 223 less flights than its last year’s winter schedule and much less than Delhi’s 630 flights for this year. This has forced airlines to increase fares on the sector, during the peak season to abnormal levels. To beat the slot constraint, Jet Airways says: “Grow bigger and grow wider with A330s.”

PANORAMIC: MIAL has undertaken the renovations of the main runway with clockwork precision. Not a day has the operation been delayed because of this huge project.

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Terminals that delight 70 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

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omestic fliers have delighted at the better shopping and dining options and less congestion since the opening of Mumbai airport’s new terminal (1C). In fact, the terminal has been a super hit since day one of its inauguration last year and has considerably scaled the reputation of GVK for innovation and intelligent use of space.

The terminal is connected to the existing terminals (1A and 1B) and has six aerobridges. Check-in counters won’t be

shifted from the existing terminals. Those whose flights depart from 1C checks in at the existing terminals. Frisking and screening of cabin baggage are done at Terminal 1C. Commenting on the landmark, Chairman G V Krishna Reddy said, “At MIAL, our focus has been on enhancing passenger experience and the opening of 1C is yet another testament to our endeavour to consistently provide passengers with a world class travel experience at the Chhatrapati Shivaji

1C

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International Airport (CSIA). The opening of this terminal also marks a significant milestone for MIAL in meeting the demands of the growing tourist and business traffic in and out of Mumbai. We have always strived to give Mumbai an airport that the city can be proud of and we will continue to do so going forward.”

A section of departing passengers who check-in at Terminals 1A and 1B are now facilitated through Terminal 1C, the second level of which has a large security hold area for passengers post checking-in.

SANJAY REDDY HAS ANNOUNCED PLANS TO MONETISE AROUND 200 ACRES (8.7 MILLION SQ FT) OF LAND IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS FOR HOSPITALITY AND RETAIL.

Designed with a high roof and glass facade providing a view of the runway, this area has spacious interiors with a seating capacity for around 900 passengers.

This area also has 9,677 sq ft of retail space including prominent F&B outlets such as Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and Ultra Bar. Passengers can shop at a range of premium stores such as Ethos, William Penn, Parcos, Swarovski, Croma, Media Mart, Bombay Store, Lilliput and Hidesign. It also houses a 4,250 sq ft common lounge for all airlines where passengers can relax and unwind before boarding their flight.

A state-of-the-art Mantra Spa delights passengers who wish to indulge in a relaxing massage prior to their flight. The mezzanine level holds an expansive 11,750 sq ft food court, overlooking the airside where passengers can grab a quick meal while waiting for their flights. It hosts a variety of Indian and international outlets including KFC, Domino’s, Idli.Com, Curry Kitchen, Cafeccino and Mad over Donuts.

Additionally, the terminal provides other value-added facilities such as Wi-fi connectivity, ATMs, foreign exchange, an internet kiosk, long distance and local telephone call booths, an infant care room, laptop charging stations and two smoking rooms. The terminal will also house airline and MIAL back offices.

Meanwhile, Mumbai airport is to finally have a ‘hospitality district’, along the lines of international airports like Shanghai and New York. So far, in Mumbai, the project had stalled due to land constraints. But now MIAL, a joint venture led by GVK that runs the airport, is reportedly ready to lease out two million sq ft of buildable area this year for the purpose.

Once cleared, the project will translate into luxury hotels and shopping destinations within a five km radius of the airport. The plan is to sub-lease plots to real estate and hospitality companies for 30 years - renewable for another 30 years. Sources say as part of the first phase, the company has identified eight lakh sq ft of land at different locations near the airport that will be up for bidding.

Sanjay Reddy has announced plans to monetise around 200 acres (8.7 million sq ft) of land in the next 10 years for hospitality and retail purposes. This is part of the land leased to GVK by Airports Authority of India with rights for commercial development. But the entire land is not available immediately as much of it is encroached upon or is in small fragments.

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Leading infrastructure developer GVK Power and Infrastructure Limited (GVKPIL) recently signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the Government of Indonesia to develop greenfield international airports in North Bali and Yogyakarta, Java. The MoUs were signed in the presence of Dr H Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President of the Republic of Indonesia, who was on a state visit to India.

The MoU for the Bali airport is a three-way agreement between Badan Koordinasi Penanaman Modal (BKPM — a board set up by the Government of Indonesia for the facilitation of domestic and foreign investment), PT Pembangunan Bali Mandiri (a special purpose vehicle for airport development) and GVKPIL. The MoU for the Java airport is an agreement between Angkasa Pura I (the Government of Indonesia-owned airport operations and management company), BKPM and GVKPIL. The scope of the agreements provides exclusivity to GVKPIL and includes planning, design and development, operations and management of the airports along with all associated infrastructure, land and commercial development.

Speaking on the occasion, G V Krish-

GVK HONOURED WITH PADMA AWARD, LOOKS OVERSEAS!

HONOURED: GVK Reddy (top) was presented the Padma Bhushan this year for his contribution to trade and industry; and, (above) the signing of a MoU for the development of international airports at Bali and Java.

na Reddy, Chairman, GVKPIL, said: “The signing of these MoUs marks a very significant milestone for GVK. Our capa-

bilities, expertise and strong track record in the airports sector is well established in India. We are very excited by the opportunity to create new landmarks in Bali and Java and we are confident that this agreement will yield significant synergies for all parties involved and help Indonesia in realising its growing potential as a key destination in the region.”

The Indonesian economy, considered to be SE Asia’s largest, has performed consistently well with its GDP having grown by an impressive rate of 6 per cent in the last year. Moreover, both Bali and Java are prime destinations for tourist traffic from both Europe and Asia. Both the airport projects are expected to create a number of economic development opportunities in both Bali and Java.

G V Krishna Reddy was honoured with the Padma Bhushan this year for his work in the field of trade and industry. An industrialist with interests in biotechnology, chemicals, hospitality, power, healthcare and infrastructure, Reddy has been serving society through the GVK Foundation. The foundation has built a number of schools in Nellore District and has also taken up the management of ambulance services after the Satyam fiasco and expanded it to 11 states in the country.

FUEL FACILITY AT CSIA Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL), the GVK-led consortium operating Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA), has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the three public sector Oil companies (IOCL, HPCL and BPCL) to set up a joint venture company for the purpose of setting-up an integrated aviation fuelling facility at CSIA. The MoU envisaged the formation of joint venture company (JVC) “Mumbai Aviation Fuel Farm Facility Private Limited”, with MIAL, IOCL, HPCL and BPCL, being equal partners with a shareholding of 25 per cent each. This JVC developed the integrated facility at the site of the existing IOCL and HPCL facilities near terminal 1A, by upgrading the facilities, increasing tankage and linking it to the hydrant systems that supply fuel at the hydrant pits of the aircraft parking stands.

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A MILESTONE: MIAL, in pact with three PSUs, has set up an integrated aviation fuelling facility at the Mumbai airport.

Considering that CSIA is a landconstrained airport, this step was taken so that the aviation fuelling facilities are integrated into a single location, which would serve as a commonuser fuel facility for all fuel suppliers.

Sanjay Reddy, Managing Director,

MIAL said: “This is an important milestone in the transformation of CSIA. We look forward to partnering with IOCL, HPCL and BPCL to create a modern and efficient aviation fuel facility to cater to the needs to the airlines operating from CSIA.”

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A TOP PERFORMING AIRPORT IN 2010

HOW CAN I HELP YOU?: At MIAL, one can find customer-oriented service culture.

(Continued from page 65)

For instance, CSIA handled 28.10 million passengers in 2010, which was the highest-ever for Mumbai airport. It is something that is now being recognised globally: according to Airport Council International (ACI), CSIA is next only to Gimpo International Airport, Seoul, in terms of airport service quality.

Vancouver International Airport, Canada, comes third. The CSIA was ranked 12th in 2009. ACI had surveyed three lakh passengers at 153 airports in the world in 2010. These included airports

which handle 15-25 million passengers every year.

Reacting to the results, Managing Director Sanjay Reddy said: “We have always worked towards providing quality service. We have strived to cultivate a customer-oriented service culture at CSIA. We are proud that it continues to win accolades.”

The real test, however, for Sanjay Reddy and his hugely competent team is to get the integrated terminal ready for operations two years down the line, get the huge land bank that is a gigantic

BRICK BY BRICK Mumbai International Airport Private Ltd (MIAL) flagged off the construction of the new integrated passenger terminal building at Sahar in February 2009.

When completed, the new terminal building will cater to both domestic and international passengers. The design of the new terminal combines International and Domestic passenger services under one roof optimising terminal operations in coordination with the airline schedules. The highly flexible gating plan and terminal arrangement will ultimately accommodate 40 million passengers per year operating 24 hours a day.

The terminal building will have a total floor area of nearly 4.3 million sq. metres spread across four levels.

Some of the key features of the terminal building are: z 52 Contact positions with PassenNEW BEGINNING: Praful Patel along with Ashok Chavan performing the Groundger Boarding Bridges Breaking Ceremony at Mumbai Airport z 184 Check-in Counters z 14 Reclaim Belts z 700,000 SF of Retail, F&B, Lounges and Travel Services z Terminal Peak Hour Passenger capacity at 9,900 z World Class Architecture and Passenger Facilities

CSIA has emerged as one of the top performing airports in the annual ACI Airport Service Quality Awards for 2010. It has been rated the second best airport worldwide for airports in the 15-25 million passengers per annum (mppa) category as announced by Airports Council International (ACI) recently. This is a distinct and considerable improvement over the earlier ranking of 12 for 2009 in the 15-25 mppa category.

This latest recognition from ACI comes within a year of CSIA being voted the “Best Brown Field Airport in PPP” in an independent survey of passengers and opinion makers conducted by the Air Passengers Association of India (APAI).

The ASQ passenger survey undertaken by ACI, an autonomous and independent body, measures customer feedback on a range of service delivery parameters that track the customer experience at an airport from the moment of arrival to the departure gate.

In 2010, ACI conducted over 300,000 passenger surveys at ASQ participating airports and this served as the basis for determining the top 5 performers in each of the ASQ categories - worldwide, by size (e.g., the number of passengers handled, in 6 size categories) and by region (6 regions) and a best improvement award (also by region). The ASQ surveys are carried out on a monthly basis and the results are released quarterly. In 2010 the survey was conducted at 153 airports and 140 qualified (full year participation).

slum on airport land back into productive use and restructure the entire airport terrain including shifting buildings, hangars and colonies to create a more holistic and integrated airport’s in India’s commercial capital.

Five years back when they took over the airport on its privatisation, the general murmur was that GVK has accepted one heck of an ‘impossible’ challenge.

The congestion, the work culture and the literally cramped airport had innumerable challenges. Five years down the line it is apparent that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that is G V Krishna Reddy and Sanjay Reddy’s biggest achievement.

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Constantly evolving: That’s Bengaluru !

EYE CANDY: Bengaluru airport woos travellers with its grand edifice.

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BARELY THREE YEARS OLD, THE BENGALURU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BELIEVES THAT CHANGE IS CONSTANT. THE AIRPORT CONSTANTLY UPGRADES ITSELF, ALWAYS MEETING AND OFTEN EXCEEDING WORLD STANDARDS. AND THE EFFORTS ARE PAYING OFF: THE AIRPORT HAS SEEN A STEADY GROWTH IN PASSENGERS AND IS ALREADY SEEING CLOSE TO 11.5 MILLION PASSENGERS ANNUALLY. SIMILARLY, CARGO IS NOT FAR BEHIND.

T

he international community — both business and leisure — finds Bengaluru an important and attractive destination in the country. The strong business community results in an attractive passenger profile for the airlines. Further, Bengaluru now has a very well-functioning airport which offers adequate capacity and slots, a very good service at a competitive rate and excellent transfer opportunities and facilities, domestic - domestic as well as domestic - international and vice versa.

Bengaluru has the third highest domestic traffic in the country after Mumbai and Delhi, which makes Bengaluru International Airport the busiest in the south of India. No national airline network can be complete without including Bengaluru. Besides, the city is the country’s IT and BT hub, has a high per

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TRAVELLERS’ DELIGHT: (Left) Departures entrance and (right) food and beverages section at the airport.

capita income, higher percentage of high yield business-class traffic than any other Indian airport, and is increasingly becoming a MICE (Meetings Incentives Conventions and Exhibitions) destination due to its excellent weather all year round. Geographically, Bengaluru is at the centre of the southern peninsula and this makes it a good domestic hub.

Bengaluru’s location is significant to it becoming a gateway to south India as its distance to any of the airports in the southern region is just over 400 km which enables it to maximise regional connectivity. In fact, Bengaluru offers convenient connections to almost all the airports in southern India, making it a natural hub.

The vision for the Bengaluru International Airport is to capitalise on its location advantage and become the gateway to the south of India, enabling the economic prosperity of the region by facilitating connectivity to the world.

While this is being achieved, the focus of the airport is constantly on the operational excellence and that is reflected in the high Airport Service Quality scores.

The airport’s aim is to continue developing and modernising the airport infrastructure to avoid capacity constraints, improve air-space efficiency and minimise costs.

The advantage of a Greenfield airport like Bengaluru is that it has a fresh start in all spheres: technology, infrastructure, people, as well as the airport management. While all of these have a positive impact, there is also a heavy demand of putting all the complex systems to work and maintaining a certain standard for the passengers as well as the airlines. The Bengaluru International Airport takes pride in the fact that in a span of three years, it has recorded a robust year-on-year growth. Annual traffic growth at the airport was 17.4 per cent for the last 12 months. Last year, it

THE ADVANTAGE OF A GREENFIELD AIRPORT LIKE BENGALURU IS THAT IT HAS A FRESH START IN ALL SPHERES: TECHNOLOGY, INFRASTRUCTURE AND PEOPLE. recorded an overall annual international traffic growth of 15.5 per cent and annual domestic traffic growth of 17.9 per cent. With annual ATMs growing by 7.2 per cent, in February 2011 for example, the airport touched 111,168 movements for the last 12 months.

Adding to the increasing passenger traffic, what has been particularly encouraging for the airport has been the fact that these three years have seen the introduction of several new international airlines. Since the airport opened in May 2008, it has been able to attract more than 10 new airlines taking the total number of airlines to 34 (22 international and 12 domestic) and connecting the city and the state to 51 destinations directly.

Airlines connecting Bengaluru to South East Asia currently include Singapore Airlines, Dragonair, Malaysian Airline, Thai Airways, Silk Air, AirAsia, Air China. The eight airlines connecting Bengaluru to South East Asia’s countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, China and Hong Kong carry over 13,000 to and from Bengaluru every week to South East Asia and beyond.

In addition to these new airlines, carriers such as Emirates increased the daily frequency to three daily flights.

With the advent of new international and domestic flights and routes, the

airport has marked the beginning of better connectivity between Bengaluru and the world.

Spearheading a new approach to the airport operations, BIAL pioneered the concept of the Airport Operations Control Centre (AOCC) in India. Operational Airport Management, a concept that is new to Indian airports, ensures smooth and efficient airport operations. The AOCC is crucial in operational recovery in times of disruption and delays. It helps enhance predictability resulting in better planning and real-time overview of operations resulting in enhanced quality of decision-making — quick, accurate and taken by the correct partner. This improves processes leading to high punctuality of the flights.

Departure punctuality has touched 85 per cent through most months and is within 15 minutes of scheduled time.

Baggage delivery remained constant over several months, with the first baggage being dropped on the belt within seven minutes of the flight touching down at the airport, for domestic arrivals. By international standards, this is a good record. Passengers were involved in these operational milestones through communication around the airport.

With these developments, the airport is well on its way to becoming one of the leading airports in operational efficiency in the country. As a team, the airport has stayed true to its focus of providing world-class service. The recent passenger opinion of the airport’s performance and service has been positive.

Last year was a year of accolades for the airport. It received a platinum certification from IATA for becoming the first airport in India to be 100 per cent Bar Coded Boarding Passes (BCBP) compliant. That was testimony enough to the fact that BIAL has continued and will continue to pioneer best practices in the industry.

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EASY ACCESS: Business passengers accessing free Wi-Fi internet at Bengaluru airport.

BIAL also received ISO 14001:2004 certification, an official recognition of the airport management’s constant efforts towards a greener airport and city. In May 2010, BIAL received ISO 27001 certification for Information Security Management System Standards.

In 2010, Bengaluru International Airport was acknowledged with the title of the Best Emerging Airport — Indian Subcontinent by Emerging Markets Airports Awards (EMAA) hosted by the acclaimed Airport Expo, Dubai. The honour came post the tabulation of the

BIAL ALSO RECEIVED THE ISO 14001:2004 CERTIFICATION, AN OFFICIAL RECOGNITION OF THE AIRPORT MANAGEMENT'S CONSTANT EFFORTS TOWARDS A GREENER AIRPORT.

ENSURING CONNECTIVITY: Interior of an aerobridge at the airport.

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poll results from industry chiefs and leaders across the world airports.

Domestic passenger traffic at the airport currently accounts for around 83 per cent of the total traffic and the remaining are international travellers.

India’s Silicon Valley sends more than 50 per cent of its international passengers to the US and Europe, thereby identifying them as knowledge workers and IT professionals. In domestic aviation, more than 60 per cent of travellers are on business while the others are on personal or leisure travel. So, it was only apt that the airport be designed to suit the needs of the time-stretched business traveller or frequent flier.

From the time the airport opened, it has received positive, and often enthusiastic feedback, from passengers as well as the airlines. For all of them, the infrastructure at the new airport comes as a long-sought change as it is efficient and at par with international standards.

The airport has already generated approximately employment for 7,000 people. This trend will continue with the further development of the airport.

Just to explain this further, in the year 2007, IATA announced that the livelihoods of 32 million people across the globe were tied to aviation, accounting for $ 3.5 trillion in economic

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SHOP AND HOP: (L-R) Outside and inside view of a duty free shop at Bengaluru airport.

activity. For hub airports, the thumb rule ing element for both the new and the states that 1000 jobs are generated in existing facilities, bringing both together the aviation industry for every million as one composition. It also forms a drapassengers. Going by this fact alone, the matic canopy to the main entrance, Indian aviation sector will emerge as a offering passengers and public a giant significant employment generator of the covered area, protected from the weathcentury. In addition to that we estimate er elements. The undulating wave form that airport city will provide some 60, provides the terminal with greater phys000 - 100,000 jobs. ical presence.

Between now and 2015, air traffic at At the Bengaluru International AirBengaluru International Airport is esti- port, change is a constant. The airport mated to increase from the current 11.5 million passengers annually to approximately 17 million passengers. In keeping with this rapidlygrowing passenger traffic, Terminal 1 (T1) of the airport will be expanded to provide enhanced capacity and operational performance. The expansion is scheduled to be completed in 18 months from the commencement of its construction.

The existing building will be extended in such a way as to give the entire complex a new lease of life, effectively producing a new design; stronger architecture.

Designed by architectural firm HOK, along with several leading international architects, planners, urban designers, landscape architects and engineering consultants, the expanded T1 will sport an enhanced and modern design elevation.

The total terminal area will be spread over approximately 1,34,000 sq m. The architectural concept is based on the idea of a dramatic swooping and curving roof, under which the building NO COMMUNICATION GAP: Users providing feedback resides. The roof is the unify- to an airport staffer.

constantly upgrades itself, always meeting and often exceeding world standards. The airport will complete three years of successful operations on May 24 this year. Achieving the dream of giving Bengaluru an airport of world-class standards, which has proved its operational efficiency has not been an easy one. All this was made possible through the relentless commitment and enthusiasm of the thousands of people involved in making the project successful.

BIAL welcomes and actively seeks the involvement in the airport’s development. Soon after announcing the expansion of the existing Terminal 1, the airport operator launched the ‘Smile Bengaluru’ campaign.

This was an opportunity for the city’s residents and airport stakeholders to share their thoughts and ideas on how they would like to see the expanded T1. After all, it is the needs of the Bengaluruan that the airport serves. The launch of the campaign was testimony to the inclusive approach of involving the local community with the airport project. The ideas and suggestions that the airport management received will be considered to shape the future of the expanding airport.

With this campaign, Bengaluru International Airport became the first airport in the country to seek public opinion on what the travelling public would like at their airport. A campaign strongly promoted on the social media platforms as well as outdoor city hoardings, radio and the airport spaces itself included a large audience. For suggestion, passengers and citizens were

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ARCHITECTURAL SPLENDOUR: Outside and inside view at BIAL.

encouraged to log on to www.smilebengaluru.com and post their ideas. All comments were transparent and viewable by all, in fact, readers could even vote for an idea that they liked.

The management envisions the airport city to be a flourishing destination in itself; people will not only come here to take flights but also to relax, do business and shop. It will provide growth giving a strong impact on econ-

omy and creation of jobs.

The landside development of the Bengaluru International Airport is visualised as a microcosm of ‘structure of a city’. The development is visualised as flow of activity, density from the ‘CBD of development, i.e. near the Terminal centers’ radiating outwards ‘representing the suburbs of city’. The concept envisages flow of high density development from the terminal area to lowdensity development as moved away

ACKNOWLEDGING THE CONTRIBUTION: BIAL staff during the unveiling ceremony of the Civil Aviation Centenary Year logo at the Bengaluru airport.

CENTENARY SPIRIT CATCHES ON Bengaluru International Airport (BIAL) joined the rest of the country to celebrate the completion of 100 years of Indian civil aviation. The airport operator, together with its partners and concessionaires, began the celebrations with an auspicious lighting of the lamp followed by unveiling of two of the official Civil Aviation Centenary Year logos. The two large installations were on display at the terminal building for a month and were created with ambient lighting and revolving bases.

The ceremony saw the attendance from the airport authorities, airlines, partners and the BIAL staff. BIAL will continue the celebrations through the year by actively engaging with passengers, the local community and schools.

Meanwhile, G V Sanjay Reddy, Managing Director of BIAL, was felicitated at the inaugural function of the centenary celebrations for the significant contribution of the GVK group to the growth of civil aviation in India.

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from the central area and the terminal, which represents the hub of the business district. There is a transition (of activities, density, etc.) between the two centers with other link spaces/areas visualised as concept.

The airport authorities have conceived the proposed landside development by the end of 2020 for the airport city. Broadly, the proposed preliminary development mix envisages four separate concepts as described below: Centre of Excellence: The Centre of Excellence is expected to catapult the development into a knowledge-based hub with a focus on the aviation industry. Proposed thought leadership positioning would strengthen and showcase the knowledge base in line with the Bengaluru global brand and create a brand for the airport city.

IT-ITES SEZ: The proposed ITITES SEZ will cater to the IT-ITES SEZ space demand of the occupiers. This ITITES SEZ will be integrated with Business District and continue the green building and energy-efficiency concept.

This is envisaged to provide choice to the occupiers/developers ranging from low-density campus type of development to multi-tenanted flatted development.

Business District: The Business District is visualised to house the headquarters of the corporate offices. This is envisaged as a high-density development integrated with green building and energy-efficiency concept. The development is envisaged as a semienclosed areas comprising walkways with plazas on ground connecting pedestrian walkway into the central area. The development is also envisaged to have a roof canopy with continuous membrane, energy conservation, utilise photovoltaic panels to supplement electricity and thus reduce energy consumption.

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AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL Central Area: The nal operators provide Central Area is proposed cold storage to ensure to house a multi-modal that the cold-chain for hub and a parking zone. horticultural products is This high flux area will not broken. have maximum movement Adding to these faciliof people and visualised to ties, BIAL’s efforts to have varying activities at ensure government agendifferent levels catering cies such as animal and to both commercial activiplant quarantine and drug ties focusing airport controllers at the cargo passengers and passenger warehouses have been amenities. This area will institutional for the essentially have mixed increase of cargo growth development with transit in the recent past. The carat ground level and upper go village at the Bengaluru levels catering to retail, International Airport is F&B and transit hotels to also fully functional, catermaximise revenues. The ing to the trade better and multi-modal hub is also subsequently contributing expected to integrate proto the growth. From an posed high-speed rail link, industry perspective, also known as Bengaluru imports have also grown Airport Rail Link (BARL), tremendously due to a internal and external high demand in automotransportation hubs. bile and engineering The concept for the industry. New freighters overall development is to like FedEx, Deccan 360 house the high-end occuand Blue Dart’s new piers under aviation, preroutes have also concision engineering and tributed to the increase in technology sectors and cargo output. the subsidiary link-up The airport and the offices. city complement each othIn conjunction with er. The rapid growth of the the real estate developcity — particularly the IT ment plan and the and BT sectors — has led STICKING TO BASICS: Check-in counters at the airport allow passengers to approved SEZ, the airport have good service and facilities. to the booming air traffic will support various busivolumes in Bengaluru. nesses related to aviation that derive val- dards and much of the growth is credit- Therefore, there was the need for a bigue from being located at or near the air- ed to their high performance stan- ger airport. A bigger and better airport port. These include airline maintenance dards. on the other hand attracts new airlines and third-party MRO (Maintenance Bengaluru being one of the largest and new companies, correspondingly Repair and Overhaul) facilities, aircraft exporters of cut flowers and a provider increased employment and economic spare parts inventory and storage of high-quality floricultural products growth. including avionics, aviation training in the country, it becomes very essenCurrently, there are over 7,000 academies, aircraft simulators, segments tial to preserve the product quality people working at the airport. In the from the value chain of the air cargo during export. Apart from careful han- near future, BIAL’s vision is to also business and offices for aviation-related dling of the horticultural products develop an ‘Airport City’ as a destinabusinesses. Low-end manufacturing and being exported, both the cargo termi- tion in itself and create a premier busiassembling related to the aviation indusness, retail and entertainment hub.

try may also find presence at the airport This area, then, will be a well-balanced of immense benefit. mix of office parks, retail, entertainEven on the cargo front, the airport ment and hospitality. has taken large strides. The two cargo The state has also allocated signifiwarehouse operators, Air India and cant budget for improvement of infraSATS and Menzies Aviation with Bobstructure in and around the airport. ba Group have their state-of-the-art Major IT companies are also looking cargo infrastructure and provide excelfor land near the airport to set up office lent storage and processing units for space. Even the retail industry is witboth perishables and non-perishables; nessing the emergence of Air Travel they are responsible for the design, Retail as a new format to reach out to construction, financing and operation target audiences marking a significant of a cargo facility of international stanchange.

BIAL’S VISION IS TO ALSO DEVELOP AN ‘AIRPORT CITY’ AS A DESTINATION IN ITSELF AND CREATE A PREMIER BUSINESS, RETAIL AND ENTERTAINMENT HUB.

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“Our constant focus is on maintaining operational excellence�

G V SANJAY REDDY, MANAGING DIRECTOR, BIAL, ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE BENGALURU AIRPORT AND THE FUTURE PLANS. What are your priorities for Bengaluru International Airport?

While the vision of the Bengaluru International Airport is to become the Gateway to South India, the focus of the airport is constantly on maintaining operational excellence, minimizing costs and on continuous improvement. Our immediate objective is to develop and modernise the airport infrastructure to prepare the airport to handle the next wave of growth in the aviation industry.

We understand that the airport has plans to expand. Can you give some details and the time frame?

Between now and 2015, the air traffic at Bengaluru International Airport is estimated to increase from the current 10.6 million passengers annually to approximately 17-20 million passengers. In keeping with this rapidly growing passenger traffic to and from Bengaluru, the Terminal 1 (T1) expansion of the Bengaluru International Airport will enhance capacity and operational performance. The expansion will double the available floor space in comparison to the existing terminal.

This construction is scheduled to be completed in 18 months from the commencement of construction, which is scheduled to begin in the coming months.

The existing building will be extended in such a way so as to give the entire complex a new lease of life, effectively producing a new design; stronger architecture.

Designed by architectural firm HOK, along with

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AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL several leading international architects, planners, urban designers, landscape architects and engineering consultants, the expanded T1 will sport an enhanced and modern design elevation.

The total terminal area will spread across an area of approximately 1,34,000 square meters.

The architectural concept is based on the idea of a dramatic swooping and curving roof, under which the building resides. The roof is the unifying element for both the new as well as the existing facilities, bringing both together as one composition. It also forms a dramatic AT THE HELM OF AFFAIRS: ATC tower at the airport. canopy to the main entrance, offering passengers and public a giant covIn addition to these new airlines, ered area, protected from the weather carriers such as Emirates, increased the elements. The undulating wave form daily frequency to three daily flights. A provides the terminal with greater phys- new airline that began operations from ical presence. the Bengaluru International Airport in early 2011 is Etihad Airlines to Abu The airport has performed Dhabi. admirably last year. How have you In keeping with the demands of achieved this success? growing air traffic, the airport has also BIAL is fortunate to be operating in a maintained its focus on operational efficity like Bengaluru, a city with a robust ciency and customer service, resulting in economy. Post-recession, industries like several awards and accolades, including Information Technology, garment and R&D have recovered relatively fast

reflecting the positive impact which includes travel. BIAL, on the other hand, concentrates on making the environment friendly for the airlines. We work closely with them to provide adequate and cost effective facilities and solutions.

Adding to the increasing passenger traffic, the introduction of several new international airlines including Dragonair, Tiger Airways, Air Arabia, Oman Air, receiving the platinum certification Qatar Airways, Saudi Air- from IATA for becoming the first airport lines, Air China, Silk Air and in India to be 100 per cent Bar Coded Air Asia have been encour- Boarding Passes (BCBP) compliant. aging. With these introduc- This is testimony to the fact that BIAL tions, BIAL has now opened has, and will continue to, pioneer best doors to newer routes offer- practices in the industry. BIAL also ing passengers with a host of received the ISO 14001:2004 certificaairlines and cabin classes to tion, an official recognition of the choose from to a particular airport management's constant efforts destination. We have been towards a greener airport and city. In able to attract over 10 new air- May 2010, BIAL received ISO 27001 lines taking the total number of certification for Information Security airlines to 32, and connecting Management System Standards. In the city and the state to 49 desti- 2010, Bengaluru International Airport nations directly. Of course, this was acknowledged with the title of the does not include the numerous Best Emerging Airport - Indian connecting flights that lead to oth- Sub-continent by Emerging Markets er destinations, both internationally Airports Awards (EMAA) hosted by the and within the country. acclaimed Airport Expo, Dubai. Ben-

BIAL IS FORTUNATE TO BE OPERATING IN A CITY LIKE BENGALURU, A CITY WITH A ROBUST ECONOMY.

galuru International Airport was declared the winner post the tabulation of the poll results from industry chiefs and leader s across the world airports.

What are your plans to enhance Bengaluru's connectivity in the domestic market?

While the focus across airlines is to increase frequencies on account of growing demand in the domestic market, BIAL looks to attract domestic airlines by providing them a quick turnaround through its operational efficiency, its awardwinning IT infrastructure and concepts like AOCC which is an industry first. In addition, the airport also aims to provide sufficient infrastructure facilities like parking bays. On a more regional basis, BIAL provides marketing support through incentives and tie-ups with local tourism bodies to provide sufficient passenger base for an airline to operate from the city.

You want your airport to be the hub of the region. How do you plan to go about that?

In addition to my response to the earlier query, apart from the trunk routes connecting the metro cities, there is a tremendous growth potential for regional connectivity. Bengaluru has the best network, connecting airports in South India and this only keeps growing with addition of new regional airports by the domestic airlines.

A responsive government could give BIAL the push it requires to get into the big leagues. What more do you expect from the government?

BIAL has been fortunate to have a very positive and supportive relationship with the State Government. The State government has so far been very responsive to the needs of the airport and has supported us as equal stakeholders in fulfilling the various requirements of the airport. Going forward, support for better connectivity between the airport and the city will be the most important expectation from the state government. Efforts to improve the road access to the airport have to continue in the coming years.

Within a few years we need to have an additional highway and for environmental and capacity reasons, a dedicated rail link to the airport.

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he new Ground Handling Policy (GHP), which was announced in 2007 and had been missing the deadline each succeeding year due to opposition from scheduled domestic carriers, has finally been implemented (April 1). The government has instructed all airport operators to gear up for implementation of the policy, which was formulated in 2007 to enhance safety and security. After being deferred three times, the DGCA had notified in June 2010 that the new GHP was likely to be implemented in January 2011.

Then the Federation of Indian Aviation (FIA) obtained a stay from the High Court against the policy that has been finally vacated by the Court. The court upheld a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) decision restricting airlines like Jet Airways, Kingfisher and IndiGo from activities like baggage handling, cargo scanning, taxing, refuelling and cleaning of the aircraft among others.

Private airlines, however, have approached the Supreme Court and the matter is to be heard on April 4.

As per the policy, it was decided that in the six metro airports—Delhi,

Ground Handling ready to roll

Photo: H.C. Tiwari

THE GROUND HANDLING POLICY (GHP), WHICH WAS A NON-STARTER EVER SINCE IT WAS ANNOUNCED, WILL BE SEEN IN OPERATION FROM APRIL 1. THERE HAD EARLIER BEEN PROTESTS FROM AIRLINES, SPECIALLY LCCS. THESE CARRIERS HAD, AMONG OTHER THINGS, PROTESTED THAT HANDING OVER GROUND HANDLING TO THIRD PARTY PROVIDERS WOULD ROB THEM OF THEIR USP. R KRISHNAN WONDERS WHAT THE FUTURE SCENARIO COULD BE…

ON THE RADAR: The new ground handling policy will provide much needed support to ground handling staff.

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AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru — none of the domestic airline operators would be allowed to do self-handling. The Union Cabinet and the Cabinet Committee on Security, while granting approval to the new Ground Handling Policy had laid down that there would be three specialist ground handling companies in each of the six airports, namely Air India and its JV partner (foreign ground-handling company with a lot of expertise in the field), the airport operator-led JV and a third independent company, which would provide ground support services, subject to that JV winning the bid in the respective airport falling in the category of the six metro airports.

As for the existing Kolkata and Chennai airports, since state-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI) has been retained as the operator, it selected Messrs Bhadra International, as its partner, based on revenue-sharing bids.

Bhadra International will provide ground-handling services in Chennai

and Kolkata. Besides, there will be Air India and its JV partner and another third independent ground-handling operator as in the other four metro airports mentioned above.

When the deadline was approaching to implement the ground-handling policy from January 1, 2011, the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), approached the Delhi High Court in December 2010, seeking the declaration of the new ground-handling policy, as null and void, as its implementation would hamper the airlines’ business interests.

The airlines have maintained that such restriction would affect their ability to distinguish themselves from rivals and render ground-handling equipment worth hundreds of crores of rupees useless. The civil aviation ministry had formulated the new ground handling policy based on the security concerns in the face of terror attacks. The policy, however, could not be implemented as airlines lobbied against it and argued that it

THE CIVIL AVIATION MINISTRY HAD FORMULATED THE NEW GROUND HANDLING POLICY BASED ON THE SECURITY CONCERNS IN THE FACE OF TERROR ATTACKS. would add to the cost of the already bleeding industry.

The FIA, whose membership includes all the domestic carriers, contended that member-airlines could efficiently manage their ground-handling services of their aircraft as at present.

Moreover, the airlines would also be forced to retrench nearly 30,000 workers, who are associated with groundhandling work, on behalf of these carriers all over India.

However, Air India, which is also a member of FIA, kept out of this challenge — as a major beneficiary of the new ground-handling policy — since it would help in enriching its exclusive ground support division.

At the time of filing this report, the airlines do self-handling like general administration, baggage, freight and mail handling, loading and unloading of aircraft, crew, passenger and baggage

and fuel handling besides catering services. According to official sources, the domestic carriers had earlier promised that they would go along with the new ground-handling policy after it was stalled earlier and that was the reason for the DGCA to notify that the new policy would become effective from January, 2011.

Instead, the airlines chose to challenge the new policy in the Delhi High Court. The airlines, on the other hand, had a legitimate fear that handing over their ground-handling functions to independent companies, would take away the airlines’ control over their cost, efficiency, scalability, and management of ground-support activities. The Centre, on the other hand, feared that allowing too many personnel on the airport tarmac and other restricted/technical areas could pose serious security risks.

Even as this debate continued, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), had written to the Ministry of Civil Aviation much before the airlines sought judicial intervention that it wanted the airlines not to provide ground-handling services and in this context listed at least 13 security-related functions, which included access to aircraft, screening of baggage and security search at various airport points to be provided by official agencies. As all know, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), in all the airports in the country, provides all the securityrelated functions.

A bigger fallout of this policy implementation may be the fate of the socalled or estimated 30,000 ground support division workers, who are working in various airports on behalf of the private airlines. The Executive Director, Bird Group, Ankur Bhatia, in an earlier interview had said: "The fear of the airlines that their staff will lose jobs was unfounded, as they will be absorbed by the new ground-handling companies, which will be doing exactly their job."

Incidentally, Bhatia has got his own venture, Ground Global, which is already in one of the metros. However, if people lose jobs because of the new policy, what will the new Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi, a self-confessed trade unionist, say? Soon after taking over, he said, he was a trade unionist and would ensure that the public sector Air India would be nursed back to health. Will his trade unionism begin and end with state-owned enterprises or will it be, in line with workers anywhere or workers everywhere?

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AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL There is also the ‘chaos’ factor that airlines constantly talk about to move the goal posts. Their argument is that the nominated ground handler won’t be able to do the job. But, if they are able to do the same thing across the globe, why not in India?

A bit of history In October 2007, the Union Government announced a new GHP. It said the policy would not be implemented for one year till December 2008 - to give time to domestic airlines to make way for an alternative arrangement. Thus, it was to become effective from January 1, 2009, by then only the following companies were to be permitted to provide ground handling services at six Indian metro airports — Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad — (i) Airport operator that is either Airports Authority of India (AAI) or the private operator managing the relevant metro airport in a Joint Venture (JV) with a known ground handling agency, (ii) Air India which has already tied-up with SATS; and (iii) Private GH agent.

Of the six metro airports, four are being managed by private entities: Hyderabad and Delhi by a consortium led by the GMR group, Mumbai and Bengaluru by the GVK group. As for Kolkata and Chennai airports, they continue to remain under the AAI which is spending over a billion dollars for their upgrade and modernisation.

AAI appointed Bhadra International, a unit of TDI in JV with a Danish company, to provide ground handling services in Chennai and Kolkata. AAI has given out GH contracts to new agencies in the four regions - namely western, southern, eastern and northern regions, respectively. However, except for Chennai and Kolkata (as they are part of the six metro airports) — where airlines are barred by the new policy of no self-handling, no such bar had been imposed in non-metro airports. Considering the rapid pace of urbanisation in non-metros, there is a high probability that cities like Ahmedabad, Coimbatore, Trichy, Goa, Nagpur, Thiruvanathapuram, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Jaipur, etc. would become important business propositions. In a way, as a result of the new arrangement and induction of new GH agents by AAI, one could — for the first time — get to see a sea change in GH facilities in these airports.

As per the GHP details, apart from the concerned airport operator, be it AAI or the private operator, ground

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STRONG GUARD: CISF provides all the security-related functions in all the airports.

handling services could also be provided by the ground handling subsidiary of the national carrier Air India or its JV and a third independent ground handling company selected by competitive bidding subject to security clearance. Consequently, there would be a maximum of three ground handling companies that would operate at a given airport.

Hence, any ground handling agency or company that was operating at the six metro airports but not meeting the above criteria had to close shop by December 2008. However, this did not happen and the implementation of the new policy has to be postponed twice. It is also learnt that the government had to postpone the GHP implementation for the third time because of the dire financial straits of domestic carriers suffering from the after effects of the economic downturn.

Further, there was also an issue of labour and what to do with the surplus GH staff at various airports who could be either permanent or contractual staff of the airlines.

However, with the revival of the Indian economy along with a rise in pas

IT IS ALSO LEARNT THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD TO POSTPONE THE GHP IMPLEMENTATION FOR THE THIRD TIME BECAUSE OF THE AIRLINES’ DIRE FINANCIAL STRAITS.

senger loads, perhaps, the government has had a re-look at the policy and not the policy per se. After all, the GHP could not have been framed or received Cabinet approval without proper debate. Those wanting development of a strong airport infrastructure believe that the new GHP should be implemented as it was one of the important ingredients of a new airport’s business plan.

It is believed that if the government had summoned courage to implement the Ground Handling Policy (GHP) earlier, perhaps the business plans of new players could have begun to unfold and that of airlines with really no right to self handle in the six metro airports would have begun to fold up. The policy was to have come into force from January 1, 2010. But following protests by domestic airlines — that third party ground handling would lead to sacking of a few thousand airline employees engaged in ground handling, jack up costs at a time when they were cutting every available corner to stay alive — the GHP was postponed yet again.

Under the proposed new GHP regulation, airlines are not allowed to selfhandle at these six metro airports as many of them were doing. In fact, while e domestic airlines were earlier allowed to do self-handling at non-metro airports, no foreign carrier was allowed to do self-handling. There were murmurs of protest about the special treatment for metro airports when security was an equally important objective at nonmetro airports as well. Was the revenue stream of AAI which has been struggling to raise funds for its own airport modernisation not important?

Then, why were more players allowed to do self-handling at nonmetro airports? A Centre for Asia

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CONVOLUTED PROCEDURES: Passengers are subjected to additional security checks.

Pacific Aviation (CAPA) study showed that domestic airlines objected to the new GHP as they felt awarding their ground handling job to third party Ground Handlers would lead to: (i) loss or dilution of control over service quality as airlines feel the first point of interface between passengers and airline staff is at the check- in counter/gate and induction of a third party on airlines’ behalf will dilute its USP; (ii) airlines stated that they are not too concerned about the impact of outsourcing ramp activities but were not willing to trade their USP like on-time performance which they fear could happen as one could not expect the third party GH provider to treat all the airlines as their own respective staff do; (iii) while airlines doing self-handling could cut cost on their own self-handling, this may not be the case when a third party is doing the job leading to rise in costs; and, (iv) limiting the number of ground handlers to three is limiting competition. Incidentally, what an airport operator or a ground handler can charge for various ground handling services is now an important matter awaiting examination and resolution by the newly set up Aviation Economic Regulatory Authority.

Independent Ground Handlers had stated at that time that they would make huge investments in GH equipment to enhance service quality and efficiency. If airport infrastructure is expected to suck in a few billion dollars in investment then it would be a total distortion if such investments were not made in ground handling, a very crucial aspect of airport management, that includes a drastic reduction in down time or turnaround time for aircraft and thereby increase the

86 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

rate of aircraft movement. This aspect, then, of airport revenue stream could not be wished away.

The ground handling agencies which had been shortlisted had also complained that they were being forced to charge higher rates for the services they were providing or would provide to airlines because of the high revenue share they had committed to the airport operators. Not surprisingly, the airport operators did not agree with this argument as they pointed out that they had to agree to a very high revenue share with the Union Government to get the concession from the government in the first place.

According to the CAPA study, GH agencies pointed out that with the investment they were making in state-ofthe-art equipment, service quality and efficiency would actually improve. They had argued that what constituted ground handling in India was not up to global standards. While what was being offered could seem cost effective and cheap, it did not conform to the global safety and security standards. In this context, GH agencies stated that there was need for

AN IMPORTANT TREND FOR GROUND HANDLERS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE INDIAN MARKET HAS BEEN THE RAPID GROWTH OF LCCS.

significant increase in capital outlay in using airport compliant tractors as opposed to farm tractors as were often used at Indian airports.

If India is to have international standard ground handling, then it is an investment that will have to be made.

Introduction of international best practices and software-based resource allocation systems will lead to greater efficiencies in the utilisation of equipment. At one time, last year, Mumbai Airport had listed an inventory of more than 90 ground power units which was more than three times for an airport of its size.

It is not known if this position has changed. As for traditional agencies - be it airlines or otherwise - there is overstaffing and the fear of job losses and the resulting airport unrest are what has been bothering policymakers after announcing the ground handling policy.

An important trend for ground handlers in the context of the Indian market has been the rapid growth of Low Cost Carriers (LCCs) and similar subsidiaries of full service carriers. Today, LCCs account for nearly 60 per cent of the domestic market share or even more.

When their negotiation position increases it will not be surprising that they may even demand competitive bids from potential GH agencies. Since the airlines were allowed self-handling and in the case of LCCs, it was beneficial since it ensured a quick turnaround of the aircraft. The LCCs did not want this compromise by a third party agency providing ground handling and also the cost at which it was going to be provided. Were these issues thought through when the GHP was formulated and approved by the Union Cabinet way back in 2007?

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NACO aids in airport development TO FACILITATE THE HIGH GROWTH VOLUMES AT METRO AIRPORTS IN THE COUNTRY, NACO, NETHERLANDS AIRPORT CONSULTANTS BV, HAS BEEN COOPERATING WITH AIRPORT OPERATORS TO FIND OUT WAYS TO AUGMENT AIRPORT CAPACITIES. IN TURN, THAT HAS LED TO ENHANCEMENTS IN THE MASTER PLANS OF THE AIRPORTS. A DETAILED LOOK BY JOERI AULMAN.

A

major portion of the volume growth in air traffic in the past decade has taken place at the metro airports of Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, and to a lesser degree at Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad. This has perforce created the need for major airport development programmes at these cities.

In Hyderabad and Bengaluru, the government opted to rope in the private sector to build new Greenfield airports outside the cities. Of these Greenfield

airport terminals, Hyderabad now sports a so-called loose fit’passenger terminal facility that was generiously sized in terms of its capacity to meet air traffic demands. In Bengaluru, the terminal facility on the other hand, has proved to be a ‘tight fit’. Shortly before the opening of the facility, NACO (Netherlands Airport Consultants B.V.) was asked to study how the terminal capacity could be augmented to meet growing passenger traffic demands. This resulted in a review of the masterplan and a technical study

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NACO Royal Jet FBO General Aviation

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A design of a Cargo terminal

on how the terminal building could best be expanded (see image BIAL Masterplan Review). The terminal expansion is presently under construction.

Private sector engagement was also sought for Delhi and Mumbai since the investment and speed-of-development required at these metros was such that it was believed that the public sector alone would not be able to deliver in time and keep pace with the tremendous traffic growth that was taking place. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) retained a minority stake in these developments.

Major challenges that the new private promoters of airports such as Mumbai faced were: a lack of terminal capacity, airside capacity and tenancy-problems ranging from legacy carriers and the military establishment occupying large swathes of land at the airport, to major encroachments by slums (especially in Mumbai). The consultants that the promoters appointed for master planning the airport’s development over the next decades, such as NACO for Mumbai airport, were faced with the Herculean task of solving a Rubik’s cube-like puzzle by shifting programmes around the airport to create the necessary extra space for augmenting terminal and airside capacities (see image ‘NACO Mumbai Masterplan’).

Punj Lloyd MRO bid design

and their economic development will increase its inhabitants’ propensity to fly.

Hans Mohrman, former Managing Director of Schiphol Management Services and CEO of Terminal 4 at JFK knows like no other airport manager, that as these

THE CONCENTRATION OF AIR TRAFFIC IN (DELHI, MUMBAI, CHENNAI, KOLKATA, BENGALURU AND HYDERABAD) WILL CONTINUE IN THE FUTURE .

Indian Aviation market growth potential With the economy growing at a healthy 9 per cent per annum, the Indian Aviation growth story is all set to continue.

The concentration of air traffic growth in the major Indian metros (Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad) will continue in the future as these urban centres will continue growing at a tremendous pace

BIAL Masterplan review

airports develop their terminal and airside infrastructure in line with the traffic growth, they will encounter new challenges that are specific to large-size airports that reach a level of complexity never encountered when they were still in the middle leagues. This will call for ingenuity on the part of the airport owners to tackle the new challenges and accomodate India’s air traffic growth efficiently and safely in the decades to come. International benchmarks and lessons learned are put at their disposal by consultants such as Hans Mohrman and his colleagues at NACO and InterVISTAS to support these decision-makers in this daunting task.

The growth of air traffic volumes at the metro airports, on the one hand, consists of inter-metro traffic (the DelhiMumbai sector, for instance, is one of the busiest sectors in the world), but is also fuelled by new regional destinations being connected to the metros in greater frequency. Even though India has the nearlargest railway network in the world, many destinations that are riding the Indian economic growth story or have an inert potential for this, have not been blessed with a rail connection. This is where regional airports can provide the necessary interconnectivity between these destinations and the urban centres which will allow these regions to fulfil their

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Traffic growth will need to be supported by fleet-expansion of the Indian carriers. This will spell the need to optimise maintenance costs of an increased fleet of aircraft. Indian carriers have already realised the benefits of standardising the type of aircraft they buy. This has been Indigo’s policy from the very start and one finds that even Kingfisher is following suit and cancelling orders for non-standard aircraft types such as their A380-order. A standardised fleet allows for purchasing spare components in bulk and minimising the diversity of skills required for maintenance staff. Additionally, several Indian carriers are considering ‘in-sourcing’ their aircrafts’ Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) services by developing their own MRO facilities at major airports in India such as Delhi and Bengaluru. As soon as their fleet has reached a critical mass, it starts to become a feasible proposition to make this investment in maintenance facility hardware (Maintenance Hangars) and software (skilled staff). As soon as both are in place, the Indian carriers can stop having their fleets serviced at foreign locations and reap the benefit of a reduction in non-productive flying hours for its aircraft flying to and from the foreign location and reduced commercial rates for maintenance, since this has become an in-house business.

NACO, Netherlands Airport Consultants BV, is at the forefront of this development, having completed sitestudies for new MRO facilities at Bengaluru International Airport (BIAL) and

Gulbarga landside terminal

90 I CRUISING HEIGHTS I April 2011

NACO Mumbai masterplan

has been supporting Punj Lloyd in its Design-Build solutions for a MRO Hangar development at Delhi International airport (DIAL) (see image ‘Punj Lloyd MRO Bid Design’). For the Indian projects, NACO relies on its decadeslong experience of designing MRO hangars for clients such as KLM, British Midlands, Kuwait Airways and Xinhua Airlines at Schiphol, Heathrow, Kuwait and Bejing Airports, respectively.

NACO, NETHERLANDS AIRPORT CONSULTANTS BV, IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS DEVELOPMENT, HAVING COMPLETED SITE STUDIES FOR NEW MRO FACILITIES.

As mentioned earlier, many destinations that are riding the Indian economic growth story or have an inert potential for this, have not been blessed with a rail-connection nor a regular scheduled air-service. Yet these areas which can be rich in minerals, hydro-power potential or any other important economic resource, attract the interest of many corporates who decide to develop industries there that utilise these resources.

These are considerable investments and these corporate chief executives will want to regularly visit to update themselves on the progress. This has meant a massive increase in general aviation traffic between the metros and these remote areas. Investing in a private jet for this purpose gives the added bonus of prestige and avoiding the hassle of regular airline travel on routes that are wellserved by scheduled carriers. It is these considerations that has resulted in a boom in private jet sales in the Indian market. At airports, the necessary infrastructure will need to be put in place to cater to these ‘high flyers’ which will result in Fixed Base Operator (FBO) terminals being developed at major metro airports similar to the Royal Jet Terminal NACO designed with KPF at Abu Dhabi Airport (see image ‘NACO Royal Jet FBO General Aviation’). Additionally several ‘fly-in-fly-out’ airstrips will be constructed all accross the Indian mineral belt.

(The writer is India Representative, NACO, Netherlands Airport Consultants BV. He was assisted by Emre Serpen, Aviation Expert, Inter VISTAS Consulting. Both will be available at Booth No. 23 at the ACI Asia-Pacific Conference in Delhi.)

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