Delhi's IGI Airport to get dedicated terminal for chartered\business flights

Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) is slated to get India's first dedicated terminal for private jets and chartered flights in a little over two years time. This facility would serve a developing need for separate terminals for business travellers at busy metro airports, such as those of Delhi and Mumbai.

Airport operator, Delhi International Airport (P) Ltd (DIAL), recently invited expression of interest (EoI) from global fixed base operators (FBOs) to build and operate dedicated general aviation facilities at the IGIA. ''This would help in providing exclusive services to users of private and charter aircrafts at IGI,'' a DIAL spokesman said.

According to DIAL  sources, a special terminal could either come up near the existing domestic airport or services could be provided from the international Terminal 2 of IGIA, which was originally due to be de-commissioned after the integrated Terminal 3 came up by March 2010.

DIAL source4s also said that the FBO could provide services at both the terminals as well as the air-side to general aviation passengers. ''Services provided in the terminal would include special lounges, conferencing facilities apart from other amenities like rental cars, charters, catering, hotel reservations etc.,'' he said.

On the air-side, the FBO would provide handling services, aircraft fueling, parking and hangar services, the official said.

General aviation traffic has grown by over 22 per cent during the financial year 2007-08,, recording nearly 10,000 aircraft movements.

''At present there are nearly 100 general aviation aircraft in India and considering the number of pending applications with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, this number is likely to be ramped up to 300 in a few years,'' the official said.