New budget airlines to operate from Terminal 3 of IGI airport

NEW DELHI:Domestic travellers flying in and out of Delhi on low-cost carriers (LCC) will now have to drive all the way to Terminal III at the IGI airport. The Terminal 1D–the air port’s terminal for domestic flights of LCCs–is now saturated and the new budget air lines are being given place to operate flights from T3.

AirAsia India Pvt Ltd (AAIPL), a joint venture of Tata Sons and Malaysian LCC AirA sia, which will operate domes tic flights to and from Delhi starting Thursday , is the first Indian LCC to fly within the country from T3. “Terminal 1D had no slots and faced bay –place where aircraft are par ked–constraints. LCCs oper ating from 1D are also trying to get more [slots],“ AAIPL CEO Mittu Chandilya, told TOI.

“With our lower fares, we will make it worth the while [to go to T3] for our flyers. I would not have preferred 1D with the kind of capacity [issues] they have. I don’t want my passen gers standing without a place to sit in a terminal,“ he said.

Asenior official of Delhi In ternational Airport Pvt Ltd (DIAL) said Terminal 1D stil has some capacity and “with ongoing modifications its ca pacity is being enhanced.“

LCCs, meanwhile, sought low er charges for the budget terminal. “There is a world of dif ference in the facilities offered at 1D and T3. If DIAL lowers the charges levied on airlines for using 1D, then the benefit of lower cost will be passed on to flyers in form of lower fares,“ said an LCC official.