New Delhi airport to commission 12 stands, open new General Aviation terminal on 15th August

New Delhi airport – India’s largest by size and traffic and one of the top airports in the world by service quality is undergoing upgrades since 2017, which will run until 2021-22. As part of the upgrades, the airport is commissioning 12 remote stands near Terminal 2. These will be compatible for CODE C aircraft. This will be effective 15^th August 2019.

All the stands will be power-in push-back stands and the aircraft parked at these stands will be refueled with the help of fuel bowser unlike the stands at Terminal 3 where there an integrated fuel management system helps pump fuel from the underground pipes. These stands lie between Taxiway L1 and M1 and right opposite the existing control tower complex.

As per ICAO – CODE C aircraft is one where the aircraft wingspan is between 24 to 36 meters and the outer main gear wheel span is between 6 to 9 meters. B737 and A320 – the mainstay of airlines in India are CODE C aircraft and Delhi primarily handles these. Terminal 2 is now shared by GoAir, Spicejet and IndiGo for domestic operations and these airlines have been expanding rapidly.

Effective same date, the airport will also commission a General Aviation apron. This area will have hangers and terminal building and when commissioned will lead to decommissioning of the existing general aviation terminal near Terminal 1. This area is part of the terminal expansion of Terminal 1 and would see changes in next few months.

This movement will also help increase the number of available bays at Terminal 1 for scheduled commercial airliners in due course of time. The new General Aviation apron will have 83 bays, in combination, with a mix of CODE A, CODE B and CODE C bays.

The airport operator is investing INR 16,000 crore for the expansion of the airport and sees many interim and long term changes. The airport has already invested in taxi-bots, will have an elevated taxiway to connect its two parallel runways and working towards an aero train which will connect its current and future terminals for faster transfer of passengers.