Indira Gandhi International Airport
Encyclopedia
Indira Gandhi International Airport is the primary international airport
of the National Capital Region of Delhi
, India
, situated in West Delhi
, 16 km (10 mi) southwest of New Delhi
city centre. Named after Indira Gandhi
, the former Prime Minister of India
, it is the busiest airport in India in terms of daily flight traffic. With the commencement of operations at the new Terminal 3, Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport has become India's and South Asia's largest and one of the most important aviation hub, with a current capacity of handling more than 46 million passengers and aimed at handling more than 100 million passengers by 2030. Along with Mumbai
's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, it handles more than half of the air traffic in South Asia
. The airport's operator Delhi International Airport Private Limited (DIAL) is looking to make the airport the next international transit hub.
The airport serves as the primary civilian aviation hub for the National Capital Region of India
. It was previously operated by the Indian Air Force
until its management was transferred to the Airport Authority of India. In May 2006, the management of the airport was passed over to Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), a joint venture
led by the GMR Group
, which also has the responsibility for the airport's ongoing expansion and modernisation.
In 2010-11, the airport handled 29.94 million passengers annually and the planned expansion program will increase its capacity to handle 100 million passengers by 2030. The new Terminal 3 building has had the capacity to handle an additional 34 million passengers annually since the start of the 2010 Commonwealth Games
. Indira Gandhi's Terminal 3 is the world's eighth largest passenger terminal. In September 2008, the airport inaugurated a 4.43 kilometre-long runway. Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) was conferred the fourth best airport award in the world (in the 15–25 million category) and Best Improved Airport in the Asia-Pacific Region by Airport Council International.
as RAF Station Palam and after the British left, it served as an Air Force Station for the Indian Air Force
. Passenger operations were later shifted to the airport from Safdarjung Airport
in 1962 due to an increase in traffic. Palam Airport had a peak capacity of around 1300 passengers per hour.
Owing to an increase in air traffic in the 1970s, an additional terminal with nearly four times the area of the old Palam terminal was constructed. With the inauguration of a new international terminal
(Terminal 2), on 2 May 1986, the airport was renamed as Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.
announced that the empowered Group of Ministers have agreed to hand over the management of Delhi Airport to the DIAL consortium and the Mumbai airport to the GVK-led consortium.
On 2 May 2006, the management of Delhi and Mumbai airports were handed over to the private consortia.
Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) is a consortium of the GMR Group
(50.1%), Fraport AG (10%) and Malaysia Airports
(10%), India Development Fund (3.9%) and the Airports Authority of India
retains a 26% stake.
, MDLR and GoAir), 1B (was used by other domestic airlines, now closed and demolished), the Domestic Arrival Terminal (1C) and the newly-constructed 1D (now used by all remaining domestic airlines). There is also a separate Technical Area for VVIP passengers. Additionally there is a separate terminal for Hajj
flights.
Owing to the booming Indian Aviation industry and the entry of numerous low-cost private carriers, the airport saw a huge jump in passenger traffic and has failed to cope with the demand. The capacity of Terminal 1 is estimated to be 7.15 million passengers per annum (mppa). However, the actual throughput for 2005/06 was an estimated 10.4 million passengers. Including the international terminal (Terminal 2), the airport has a total capacity of 12.5 million passengers per year, whereas the total passenger traffic in 2006/07 was 16.5 million passengers per year In 2008, total passenger count at the airport reached 23.97 million.
Delhi Airport has two parallel runways and a near-parallel runway: Runway 11/29 (14,534 ft (4430m)) with CAT IIIB ILS on both sides and the main runway 10/28 (12500 ft (3,810 m)) as well as an auxiliary runway 09/27 (9229 ft (2,813 m)). Runway 10/28 and Runway 11/29 are the only two in South Asia to have been equipped with the CAT III-B instrument landing system
. In the winter of 2005 there were a record number of disruptions at Delhi airport due to fog/smog. Since then some domestic airlines have trained their pilots to operate under CAT-II conditions of a minimum 350 m (1,148.3 ft) visibility. On 31 March 2006, IGI became the first Indian airport to operate two runways simultaneously following a test run involving a SpiceJet
plane landing
on Runway 28 and a Jet Airways
plane taking off
from Runway 27 at the same time.
The initially proposed method of simultaneous takeoffs caused several near misses over west side of the airport where the centerlines of Runways 10/28 and 9/27 intersect. The runway use method was changed to seggregated dependent operations from 25th Dec 2007 which was a few days after the deciding near miss involving a Qatar airways Airbus A330-200 and an Indigo A320 aircraft. The new method involved use of Runway 28 for all departures and Runway 27 for all arrivals. This method which was safe and more reliable was followed till 24 September 2008.
On 21 August 2008, the airport inaugurated the 4.43 kilometre long runway 11/29. The runway has one of the world's longest paved threshold displacement of 1460m. This inturn decreases the available landing length on Runway 29 to 2970m. The purpose of this large threshold displacemnt is primarily to reduce noise generated by landing aircraft over nearby localities. The runway increases the airport's capacity to handle 85 flights from the previous 54-60 flights per hour. The new runway was opened for commercial operations on 25 September 2008.
, Air India Regional, Indian Airlines, IndiGo
, JetLite, SpiceJet
, Jet Airways
, Kingfisher Airlines
, GoAir use IGI Airport as their secondary hub. Approximately 80 airlines serve this airport. There are Six operational terminals making up this airport, they are the following:
Terminal 1A was built in the early 1990s to cater to Indian Airlines domestic flights only. It had to be refurbished after a fire gutted the interiors. DIAL, the owner of the airport, has significantly upgraded this terminal. It now sports a new look with modern washrooms and facilities, however will be torn down on the completion of newer terminals which are expected to finish construction in the coming years. It was formerly used by Air India Regional until it moved to the new Terminal 3 on 11 November 2010. It is closed and now its domestic flights have been shifted to terminal 1D.
Terminal 1B
Terminal 1B has been closed for operations after the opening up of Terminal 1D which opened in April 2009.
Terminal 1C
The terminal in which all domestic operations arrive. The terminal is compact, however has received a new greeting area with expanded space, and a bigger luggage reclaim area.
Terminal 1D
Terminal 1D is the brand new interim domestic terminal, that was inaugurated on 26 February 2009. All domestic flights were moved to this new building from the second week of April, 2009. It is almost double the size of the older Terminal 1B. Terminal 1D has the capacity to handle 10 million passengers per year. Terminal 1D commenced operations on 15 April 2009. It is currently used by GoAir, IndiGo
, SpiceJet
.
Designed by HOK
working in consultation with Mott MacDonald
, the new Terminal 3 is a two-tier building, with the bottom floor being the arrivals area, and the top being a departures area. This terminal has 168 check-in
counters, 78 aerobridges at 48 contact stands, 30 parking bays, 72 immigration counters, 15 X-ray
screening areas, for less waiting times, duty-free shop
s, and other features. Over 90% of passengers will use this terminal when completed. This new terminal had been completed in time for the 2010 Commonwealth Games
, which were held in Delhi, and will be connected to Delhi by an eight-lane motorway (National Highway 8), and the Delhi Mass Rapid Transit System. The terminal was officially inaugurated on 3 July 2010, and there were nine flights to test the operational readiness of the new terminal and its ground handling capabilities. All international airlines shifted their operations to the new terminal in late July 2010, and all full service domestic carriers mid November onwards.
T3 has India's first automated parking management & guidance system in a multi level car park, which comprises 7 levels and a capacity of 4300 cars. The Parking System is designed & installed by M/s FAAC India Pvt. Ltd in record time, in such a way that a person wishing to park can find space within 5 minutes with the help of an electronic dynamic signage.
Terminal 3 will form the first phase of the airport expansion in which a 'U' shaped building will be developed in a modular manner. In 2010, all international and full service domestic carriers started operating from Terminal 3, while Terminal 1 is dedicated to low cost operations. In subsequent stages, the low cost carriers will also move to the new terminal complex.
The much awaited go ahead for the domestic airlines to start operations from the new T3 terminal has been given. After passing many hurdles Air India which is also the national carrier started its domestic operations from the new T3 terminal from 11 November 2010. Two other airlines Jet and Kingfisher moved to the new terminal since 14 November 2010 for all their domestic operations. Terminal 1D is now used exclusively by low cost carrier airlines including GoAir.
Rail
The airport is served by the Delhi Airport Metro Express train line. The 22.7 km line runs from Terminal 3 to New Delhi station of the Delhi Metro.
Road
The airport is connected by the 8-lane Delhi Gurgaon Expressway.
Low floor AC buses operated by DTC
regularly run between the airport and the city.
Prepaid taxis are also available from the terminal to all areas of Delhi.
International airport
An international airport is any airport that can accommodate flights from other countries and are typically equipped with customs and immigration facilities to handle these flights to and from other countries...
of the National Capital Region of Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, situated in West Delhi
West Delhi
West Delhi is an administrative district of the National Capital Territory of Delhi in India.West Delhi is bound by the districts of North West Delhi to the north, North Delhi and Central Delhi to the east, South West Delhi to the south, and Jhajjar District of Haryana state to the west.West Delhi...
, 16 km (10 mi) southwest of New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
city centre. Named after Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
, the former Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
, it is the busiest airport in India in terms of daily flight traffic. With the commencement of operations at the new Terminal 3, Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport has become India's and South Asia's largest and one of the most important aviation hub, with a current capacity of handling more than 46 million passengers and aimed at handling more than 100 million passengers by 2030. Along with Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, it handles more than half of the air traffic in South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
. The airport's operator Delhi International Airport Private Limited (DIAL) is looking to make the airport the next international transit hub.
The airport serves as the primary civilian aviation hub for the National Capital Region of India
National Capital Region (India)
The National Capital Region in India is a name for the conurbation or metropolitan area which encompasses the entire National Capital Territory of Delhi as well as urban areas ringing it in neighbouring states of Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan...
. It was previously operated by the Indian Air Force
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
until its management was transferred to the Airport Authority of India. In May 2006, the management of the airport was passed over to Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), a joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
led by the GMR Group
GMR Group
GMR Group is a major infrastructure company in India which is headquartered in Bangalore. The company was founded in 1978 by Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao The core business areas of the company include airports, energy and highways; apart from having presence in the agriculture and aviation sectors...
, which also has the responsibility for the airport's ongoing expansion and modernisation.
In 2010-11, the airport handled 29.94 million passengers annually and the planned expansion program will increase its capacity to handle 100 million passengers by 2030. The new Terminal 3 building has had the capacity to handle an additional 34 million passengers annually since the start of the 2010 Commonwealth Games
2010 Commonwealth Games
The 2010 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games, were held in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010. A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed in 21 sports and 272 events, making it the largest Commonwealth Games till date...
. Indira Gandhi's Terminal 3 is the world's eighth largest passenger terminal. In September 2008, the airport inaugurated a 4.43 kilometre-long runway. Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) was conferred the fourth best airport award in the world (in the 15–25 million category) and Best Improved Airport in the Asia-Pacific Region by Airport Council International.
History
The airport, earlier known as Palam Airport, was built around the World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as RAF Station Palam and after the British left, it served as an Air Force Station for the Indian Air Force
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
. Passenger operations were later shifted to the airport from Safdarjung Airport
Safdarjung Airport
Safdarjung Airport also is an airport in New Delhi, India, in the neighbourhood of the same name. Established during the British Raj, as Willingdon Airfield, it started operations as an airport in 1929, when was the India's second airport and Delhi’s only airport...
in 1962 due to an increase in traffic. Palam Airport had a peak capacity of around 1300 passengers per hour.
Owing to an increase in air traffic in the 1970s, an additional terminal with nearly four times the area of the old Palam terminal was constructed. With the inauguration of a new international terminal
Airport terminal
An airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from aircraft....
(Terminal 2), on 2 May 1986, the airport was renamed as Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.
Public private partnership
On 31 Jan 2006, the aviation minister Praful PatelPraful Patel
Praful Manoharbhai Patel is a Member of Parliament of the Lok Sabha of India. He represents the Bhandara-Gondia parliamentary constituency and is a member of the Nationalist Congress Party...
announced that the empowered Group of Ministers have agreed to hand over the management of Delhi Airport to the DIAL consortium and the Mumbai airport to the GVK-led consortium.
On 2 May 2006, the management of Delhi and Mumbai airports were handed over to the private consortia.
Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) is a consortium of the GMR Group
GMR Group
GMR Group is a major infrastructure company in India which is headquartered in Bangalore. The company was founded in 1978 by Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao The core business areas of the company include airports, energy and highways; apart from having presence in the agriculture and aviation sectors...
(50.1%), Fraport AG (10%) and Malaysia Airports
Malaysia Airports
Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad is a Malaysian airport company that manages most of the airports in Malaysia. The firm was recently awarded the duty to manage airports in international destinations...
(10%), India Development Fund (3.9%) and the Airports Authority of India
Airports Authority of India
The Airports Authority of India is an organization working under the Ministry of Civil Aviation that manages most of the airports in India. The AAI manages and operates 126 airports including 16 international airports, 89 domestic airports and 26 civil enclaves. The corporate headquarters are at...
retains a 26% stake.
Statistics
The old Palam terminal is now known as Terminal 1 and handles all domestic flights. The terminal is divided into three separate terminals - 1A (for domestic flights of state owned Air IndiaAir India
Air India is the flag carrier airline of India. It is part of the government of India owned Air India Limited . The airline operates a fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft serving Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. Its corporate office is located at the Air India Building at Nariman...
, MDLR and GoAir), 1B (was used by other domestic airlines, now closed and demolished), the Domestic Arrival Terminal (1C) and the newly-constructed 1D (now used by all remaining domestic airlines). There is also a separate Technical Area for VVIP passengers. Additionally there is a separate terminal for Hajj
Hajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
flights.
Delhi Airport has two parallel runways and a near-parallel runway: Runway 11/29 (14,534 ft (4430m)) with CAT IIIB ILS on both sides and the main runway 10/28 (12500 ft (3,810 m)) as well as an auxiliary runway 09/27 (9229 ft (2,813 m)). Runway 10/28 and Runway 11/29 are the only two in South Asia to have been equipped with the CAT III-B instrument landing system
Instrument Landing System
An instrument landing system is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument...
. In the winter of 2005 there were a record number of disruptions at Delhi airport due to fog/smog. Since then some domestic airlines have trained their pilots to operate under CAT-II conditions of a minimum 350 m (1,148.3 ft) visibility. On 31 March 2006, IGI became the first Indian airport to operate two runways simultaneously following a test run involving a SpiceJet
SpiceJet
SpiceJet is a low-cost airline headquartered in Gurgaon, India. It began service in May 2005 and by 2008, it was India's second-largest low-cost airline in terms of market share. SpiceJet was voted as the best low-cost airline in South Asia and Central Asia region by Skytrax in...
plane landing
Landing
thumb|A [[Mute Swan]] alighting. Note the ruffled feathers on top of the wings indicate that the swan is flying at the [[Stall |stall]]ing speed...
on Runway 28 and a Jet Airways
Jet Airways
Jet Airways is a major Indian airline based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is India's largest airline and the market leader in the domestic sector. It operates over 400 flights daily to 76 destinations worldwide. Its main hub is Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, with secondary hubs at Delhi,...
plane taking off
Takeoff
Takeoff is the phase of flight in which an aerospace vehicle goes from the ground to flying in the air.For horizontal takeoff aircraft this usually involves starting with a transition from moving along the ground on a runway. For balloons, helicopters and some specialized fixed-wing aircraft , no...
from Runway 27 at the same time.
The initially proposed method of simultaneous takeoffs caused several near misses over west side of the airport where the centerlines of Runways 10/28 and 9/27 intersect. The runway use method was changed to seggregated dependent operations from 25th Dec 2007 which was a few days after the deciding near miss involving a Qatar airways Airbus A330-200 and an Indigo A320 aircraft. The new method involved use of Runway 28 for all departures and Runway 27 for all arrivals. This method which was safe and more reliable was followed till 24 September 2008.
On 21 August 2008, the airport inaugurated the 4.43 kilometre long runway 11/29. The runway has one of the world's longest paved threshold displacement of 1460m. This inturn decreases the available landing length on Runway 29 to 2970m. The purpose of this large threshold displacemnt is primarily to reduce noise generated by landing aircraft over nearby localities. The runway increases the airport's capacity to handle 85 flights from the previous 54-60 flights per hour. The new runway was opened for commercial operations on 25 September 2008.
Terminals
IGI Airport is the home of several Indian airlines including Air IndiaAir India
Air India is the flag carrier airline of India. It is part of the government of India owned Air India Limited . The airline operates a fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft serving Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. Its corporate office is located at the Air India Building at Nariman...
, Air India Regional, Indian Airlines, IndiGo
Indigo
Indigo is a color named after the purple dye derived from the plant Indigofera tinctoria and related species. The color is placed on the electromagnetic spectrum between about 420 and 450 nm in wavelength, placing it between blue and violet...
, JetLite, SpiceJet
SpiceJet
SpiceJet is a low-cost airline headquartered in Gurgaon, India. It began service in May 2005 and by 2008, it was India's second-largest low-cost airline in terms of market share. SpiceJet was voted as the best low-cost airline in South Asia and Central Asia region by Skytrax in...
, Jet Airways
Jet Airways
Jet Airways is a major Indian airline based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is India's largest airline and the market leader in the domestic sector. It operates over 400 flights daily to 76 destinations worldwide. Its main hub is Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, with secondary hubs at Delhi,...
, Kingfisher Airlines
Kingfisher Airlines
Kingfisher Airlines is an airline group based in India. Its head office is Kingfisher House in Vile Parle , Mumbai. Kingfisher Airlines, through its parent company United Breweries Group, has a 50% stake in low-cost carrier Kingfisher Red....
, GoAir use IGI Airport as their secondary hub. Approximately 80 airlines serve this airport. There are Six operational terminals making up this airport, they are the following:
Terminal 1 – Domestic
Terminal 1ATerminal 1A was built in the early 1990s to cater to Indian Airlines domestic flights only. It had to be refurbished after a fire gutted the interiors. DIAL, the owner of the airport, has significantly upgraded this terminal. It now sports a new look with modern washrooms and facilities, however will be torn down on the completion of newer terminals which are expected to finish construction in the coming years. It was formerly used by Air India Regional until it moved to the new Terminal 3 on 11 November 2010. It is closed and now its domestic flights have been shifted to terminal 1D.
Terminal 1B
Terminal 1B has been closed for operations after the opening up of Terminal 1D which opened in April 2009.
Terminal 1C
The terminal in which all domestic operations arrive. The terminal is compact, however has received a new greeting area with expanded space, and a bigger luggage reclaim area.
Terminal 1D
Indigo
Indigo is a color named after the purple dye derived from the plant Indigofera tinctoria and related species. The color is placed on the electromagnetic spectrum between about 420 and 450 nm in wavelength, placing it between blue and violet...
, SpiceJet
SpiceJet
SpiceJet is a low-cost airline headquartered in Gurgaon, India. It began service in May 2005 and by 2008, it was India's second-largest low-cost airline in terms of market share. SpiceJet was voted as the best low-cost airline in South Asia and Central Asia region by Skytrax in...
.
Terminal 2
However, constructed in the 1980s, it was also in desperate need of repair. This sign of distress was taken care of before the inauguration of the Terminal 3. The entire terminal has been upgraded. It has been repainted; glass windows have replaced the old dark ones; floors have been refitted with tiles, walls and ceilings now have new surfaces, more immigration and emigration counters have been implemented, new seats have been brought in, new baggage belts, more business lounges, eateries, and duty free shops had also been added, which have now moved to the newer Terminal 3. Terminal 2 will work in tandem with T3, until the proposed T4 terminal is built, upon which it will be demolished as per the proposed master plan. The terminal is currently out of commission.Terminal 3
Terminal 3, a state-of-the-art and integrated terminal, is the world’s 24th largest passenger terminal. It occupies 502,000 m² (5.4 million sq ft), with a capacity to handle 34 million passengers annually.Designed by HOK
Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum
HOK is a global architecture, interiors, engineering, planning and consulting firm. HOK is the largest U.S.-based architecture-engineering firm and the "No. 1 role model for sustainable and high-performance design." HOK also is the second-largest interior design firm...
working in consultation with Mott MacDonald
Mott MacDonald
The Mott MacDonald Group is an employee-owned company management, engineering and development consultancy serving the public and private sectors world-wide...
, the new Terminal 3 is a two-tier building, with the bottom floor being the arrivals area, and the top being a departures area. This terminal has 168 check-in
Check-in
Check-in is the process of announcing your arrival at a hotel, airport, sea port or social network service.-Airlines and airports :Check-in desks are found in the majority of commercial airports. Their main function is to take in luggage that passengers wish to, or are required to, place within the...
counters, 78 aerobridges at 48 contact stands, 30 parking bays, 72 immigration counters, 15 X-ray
X-ray
X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...
screening areas, for less waiting times, duty-free shop
Duty-free shop
Duty-free shops are retail outlets that are exempt from the payment of certain local or national taxes and duties, on the requirement that the goods sold will be sold to travelers who will take them out of the country...
s, and other features. Over 90% of passengers will use this terminal when completed. This new terminal had been completed in time for the 2010 Commonwealth Games
2010 Commonwealth Games
The 2010 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games, were held in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010. A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed in 21 sports and 272 events, making it the largest Commonwealth Games till date...
, which were held in Delhi, and will be connected to Delhi by an eight-lane motorway (National Highway 8), and the Delhi Mass Rapid Transit System. The terminal was officially inaugurated on 3 July 2010, and there were nine flights to test the operational readiness of the new terminal and its ground handling capabilities. All international airlines shifted their operations to the new terminal in late July 2010, and all full service domestic carriers mid November onwards.
T3 has India's first automated parking management & guidance system in a multi level car park, which comprises 7 levels and a capacity of 4300 cars. The Parking System is designed & installed by M/s FAAC India Pvt. Ltd in record time, in such a way that a person wishing to park can find space within 5 minutes with the help of an electronic dynamic signage.
Terminal 3 will form the first phase of the airport expansion in which a 'U' shaped building will be developed in a modular manner. In 2010, all international and full service domestic carriers started operating from Terminal 3, while Terminal 1 is dedicated to low cost operations. In subsequent stages, the low cost carriers will also move to the new terminal complex.
The much awaited go ahead for the domestic airlines to start operations from the new T3 terminal has been given. After passing many hurdles Air India which is also the national carrier started its domestic operations from the new T3 terminal from 11 November 2010. Two other airlines Jet and Kingfisher moved to the new terminal since 14 November 2010 for all their domestic operations. Terminal 1D is now used exclusively by low cost carrier airlines including GoAir.
Terminal 4 and 5
Terminal 4 and 5 will be built at a later stage, which will be triggered by growth in traffic, and once completed, all international flights will move to these two new terminals, while Terminal 3 will then solely be used for handling domestic air traffic. A new cargo handling building is also planned. According to Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), these new terminals will increase the airport's annual passenger volume capacity to 100 million.Hajj Terminal
Upon the annual Muslim pilgrimage of Hajj, specified flights move to this separate terminal to prevent disruption of other passengers who are traveling to other areas of the globe. A separate area has been made for Hajj to cater to the abundance of additional travelers during this season, and to accommodate them with enough provided space. It has a 10 million passengers per year capacity. It is used approximately two months starting from second month after the Eid-ul-Fitra every year, for 2011 it was started from 28 September 2011 onwards. Plans are underway to use the building for the remaining 10 months of the year also.Cargo Terminal
The Cargo Terminal is managed by Celebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management India Pvt. Ltd. and handles all cargo operations. The airport received an award in 2007 for its excellent and organized cargo handling system. It is located at a distance of about 1 km from the main terminal T3.Airlines and destinations
Passenger
Cargo services
- Martinair Cargo use KLM 747s on lease in full KL livery, the service however is MP's own and not KLM.Ground transportation
The airport is served by the Delhi Airport Metro Express train line. The 22.7 km line runs from Terminal 3 to New Delhi station of the Delhi Metro.
Road
The airport is connected by the 8-lane Delhi Gurgaon Expressway.
Low floor AC buses operated by DTC
Delhi Transport Corporation
Delhi Transport Corporation is the main public transport operator of Delhi. It operates buses on many bus routes, including the mudrika and Bahri Mudrika . It is the largest CNG-powered bus service operator in the world. DTC is operating Interstate Services in 6 states viz...
regularly run between the airport and the city.
Prepaid taxis are also available from the terminal to all areas of Delhi.
Caterers
- Ambassador's SkyChef
- Chef Air
- Taj-Sats
- Oberoi Flight ServicesOberoi Hotels & ResortsThe Oberoi Group, founded in 1934, owns and/or operates 29 hotels and 3 cruise liners in five countries.It remains one of the most decorated hotel chains in the world with many of its group hotels bagging various awards and accolades from Travel+Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Forbes and...
- Sky Gourmet Catering Pvt Ltd
- club one air
Fuelers
- Bharat PetroleumBharat PetroleumBharat Petroleum Corporation Limited is a state-controlled oil and gas company headquartered in Mumbai, India. In 2011, Fortune Global 500 ranked the company of 272.- History :...
- Hindustan PetroleumHindustan PetroleumHindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited , is an Indian state-owned oil company headquartered at Mumbai, India and is a Fortune 500 company of India listed at number 336....
- Indian Oil CorporationIndian Oil CorporationIndian Oil Corporation Limited, or IndianOil, is an Indian state-owned oil and gas corporation with its headquarters are in Mumbai, India. It is India’s largest commercial enterprise, ranked 98th on the Fortune Global 500 list for 2011...
- Bharat Stars Services Pvt Ltd
Major incidents
- On 25 January 1970, a Royal Nepal Airlines Fokker F27-200Fokker F27The Fokker F27 Friendship is a turboprop airliner designed and built by the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker.-Design and development:Design of the Fokker F27 started in the 1950s as a replacement to the successful Douglas DC-3 airliner...
(9N-AAR) after a flight from Kathmandu, NepalNepalNepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
was caught in severe thunderstormThunderstormA thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
s with turbulenceTurbulenceIn fluid dynamics, turbulence or turbulent flow is a flow regime characterized by chaotic and stochastic property changes. This includes low momentum diffusion, high momentum convection, and rapid variation of pressure and velocity in space and time...
and downdraftsVertical draftAn updraft or downdraft is the vertical movement of air as a weather related phenomenon. One of two forces causes the air to move. Localized regions of warm or cool air will exhibit vertical movement. A mass of warm air will typically be less dense than the surrounding region, and so will rise...
on final approachFinal approach (aviation)A final approach is the last leg in an aircraft's approach to landing. In aviation radio terminology, it is often shortened to "final".In a standard airport landing pattern, which is usually used under visual meteorological conditions , aircraft turn from base leg to final within one to two miles...
to Palam Airport. The pilot could not control the aircraft and crashed short of the runway. Of the five crew and 18 passengers, one crew member was killed.
- 14 June 1974, Japan Airlines Flight 471Japan Airlines Flight 471Japan Airlines Flight 471 was a Japan Airlines flight from Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand to Palam International Airport in New Delhi, India...
crashed outside of Palam Airport, killing 82 of 87 occupants; ten of eleven crew members and 72 of 76 passengers died, as did three people on the ground.
- On 7 May 1990, an Air India Boeing 747Boeing 747The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
flying on the LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-DelhiDelhiDelhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
-MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
route and carrying 215 people (195 passengers and 20 crew) touched down at Indira Gandhi International Airport after a flight from LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Heathrow Airport. On application of reverse thrust, a failure of the no. 1 engine pylon to wing attachment caused this engine to tilt nose down. Hot exhaustion gasses caused a fire on the left wing. There were no fatalities but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair and written off.
- On 12 November 1996, the airport was involved in the Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision when a Saudi Arabian AirlinesSaudi Arabian AirlinesSaudi Arabian Airlines is the flag carrier airline of Saudi Arabia, based in Jeddah. It operates domestic and international scheduled flights to over 90 destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and North America...
Boeing 747-100BBoeing 747The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
, climbing out after takeoff, collided with an incoming Air KazakhstanAir KazakhstanKazakhstan Airlines was the national airline of Kazakhstan. It ended operations in 1997. It operated domestic and international services. It had its head office in Almaty.-Code data:*IATA Code: K4*ICAO Code: KZA *Callsign: Kazakh-History:...
Ilyushin Il-76Ilyushin Il-76The Ilyushin Il-76 is a multi-purpose four-engined strategic airlifter designed by Ilyushin design bureau. It was first planned as a commercial freighter in 1967. Intended as a replacement for the Antonov An-12, the Il-76 was designed for delivering heavy machinery to remote, poorly-serviced areas...
chartered by a fashion company, causing the deaths of all 349 people aboard the two planes.
External links
- Indira Gandhi International Airport, official website
- Indira Gandhi International Airport at the Airports Authority of IndiaAirports Authority of IndiaThe Airports Authority of India is an organization working under the Ministry of Civil Aviation that manages most of the airports in India. The AAI manages and operates 126 airports including 16 international airports, 89 domestic airports and 26 civil enclaves. The corporate headquarters are at...
- GMR Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL)
- GMR Group
- Delhi Airport development