3 airlines get time till Oct to shift services to IGI airport’s T2

Three domestic airlines have got time till at least October to shift operations to T2 from the existing D1 terminal at the Indira Gandhi International airport in Delhi, a move that is likely to hit DIAL’s expansion plans.

Currently, three budget carriers — IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir — operate from D1 terminal at IGI airport.

Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), the joint venture firm, which runs the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, plans to expand the existing terminal to a much bigger facility.

It wants these airlines to shift operations to T2, from where international flights used to operate the commissioning of the existing swanky T3.

At a recent meeting, the three airlines told the Ministry and DIAL that since there were no extra facilities like additional parking bays or slots created by the private airport operator, it will not be possible for them to relocate even partial operations to T2 till the end of summer schedule, a source said.

“Consequently, it was decided that these airlines will continue to carry out their operations from the existing terminal only till at least October,” a source privy to the development told PTI.

As per the initial plans, SpiceJet and GoAir were told to relocate their operations to T2 from January 1 this year. However, the two refused to shift on the ground that IndiGo was being allowed to continue from the same terminal, forcing DIAL to defer it.

According to sources, in midJanuary it wrote to the IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir with a new plan, under which the three airlines were told to shift their Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru flights to T2 from February 15, sources said.

However, the three airlines failed to meet this deadline as well.