Delhi international airport on Thursday (17th September ) opened an exclusive terminal to handle the flight operations of private jets.
The terminal has 57 parking bays and can handle up to 150 private jet flights per day. It was inaugurated by Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. The minister said the Delhi airport was handling around 40 “general aviation” flights per day before the pandemic, and it is currently handling around 20 such flights per day.
Flight operations of private jets are classified under the “general aviation” category.
“This terminal looks good. People like me use the other terminals (earmarked for commercial passenger flights) but those who use this terminal, I am sure their feedback – when they start using it – will also be very positive,” Puri said. “I am sure this (terminal) will be a small but significant boost to general aviation,” Puri added.
He said, “India’s civil aviation sector is on a steady growth trajectory. The sector is all set to emerge stronger in a post-Covid world as more routes are opening up and the number of passengers are growing.“We expect a bulk of pre-Covid-19 domestic air passengers’ traffic to be back by Diwali this year, and general aviation will have a significant contribution to it. The new general aviation terminal at Delhi airport is the need of the hour which would significantly support this growth.”
GBS Raju, business chairman, GMR Airports (India) said:
“This terminal will serve as an iconic gateway to India for business and leisure travellers and it signifies our recognition of the positive economic impact the general aviation industry has on this community.“This terminal will cater to the growing passenger traffic when the aviation sector lands back to pre-Covid times and make their travel experience more convenient and comfortable.”
Adorning a modern architecture, the new terminal is equipped with spacious passenger lounges, retail and F&B sections and 24-hour personal concierge services. There is a common processing area with customs and immigrations and immediate access to private jet aircraft stands from the terminal. It can handle over 50 passengers every hour.
Facilities for crew members and staff, such as restroom and briefing area, will also be available.
In addition, it will have an access control system, wifi enabled services, IT system integrated with overall Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) platform and perimeter security control system to provide an enhanced experience to the passengers.
The GA terminal and the newly developed general aviation aircraft parking are co-located. This will enable passengers to conveniently travel to and from the aircraft for boarding or de-boarding. newdelhiairport.in
