Delhi airport slams doors on small planes

Delhi International Airport Ltd, now controlled by the GMR Group as a part of the government's airport modernisation programme, has expressed its inability to accommodate additional smaller aircraft, which are widely used for regional connectivity.

Delhi Airport will not allow additional smaller planes from the winter of 2007-08. Small aircraft used for regional connections include ATRs, Bombardiers, Embraers and the Sukhoi Superjet 100.

DIAL's decision might be followed by GVK group-controlled Mumbai International Airport, the country's busiest airport. "At present, Mumbai Airport is constrained by infrastructure issues. We have asked the government to segregate the traffic between smaller and bigger aircraft. But nothing has been finalised," a MIAL spokesperson said.

Confirming the development, a DIAL spokesperson said small aircraft movements (take-offs and landings) account for 10 per cent of the 650 aircraft movements a day. The industry estimates that with the regional airlines policy, at least 150 movements of small aircraft will be added in the next 12 months.

The decision is being taken to enhance revenues. As part of the government's policy to encourage regional connectivity, most of these aircraft (below 40,000 kg) do not pay landing charges to the airports.

The move is expected to act as a dampener for the government's recently announced policy to encourage regional airlines. That apart, even scheduled carriers, especially low-cost operators, have been adding in capacity to connect smaller cities with the major ones.

DIAL is also considering a move to impose landing charges on smaller planes currently landing in Delhi. Sources said the private airport authority had made a presentation on these issues before the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation, though nothing has been finalised.

One of the main reasons for banning additional smaller planes in Delhi airport is congestion. Highly-placed sources said DIAL pointed out that the "separation minima" (the minimum height and distance) required between a smaller and bigger jet was very high. Moreover, the higher runway occupancy time of Bombardiers and ATRs reduce the movement of heavy aircraft, which provide the main chunk of airport revenues.

The sources added that DIAL executives also said the smaller aircraft lacked the upgraded (or "category III") equipment for landing in a fog, which would result in delays and inconvenience to passengers.

However, DIAL has said it may consider permitting smaller aircraft once the new runway is commissioned in 2008.

Jet Airways Executive Director Saroj K Datta declined to comment, stating he has not got any circular from DIAL.

"The ban on smaller aircraft will adversely impact the growth of regional airlines, which will primarily be using smaller planes. ATRs and Bombardiers are suitable for connecting smaller airport bases like Amritsar, Chandigarh, Bhopal, Dehradun, Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur, Kullu, Jaipur, Jammu, Leh etc," said an industry analyst.

For instance, Air Deccan had launched flights from Delhi to Pathankot using a 48-seater ATR-42 aircraft. Jet Airways operates ATRs to connect Mumbai with locations such as Leh, Vadodara, Bhopal and Indore.