Air India to shift domestic ops to T3 on Nov 11

Government carrier Air India (AI), which had announced its intention to make Delhi International Airport Ltd’s (DIAL’s) Terminal 3 (T3) its hub, will shift domestic operations to the new terminal on November 11. The carrier has also formed a high-level committee to ensure smooth operations at the new terminal.

“A nodal group of senior officers – comprising executive directors and heads of operating departments – has been constituted to resolve all operational issues, interact with other agencies and also to provide guidance and support services,” a release from the airline said.

Air India has also set up a high-level monitoring system at the new terminal to ensure that flight operations are smooth and passengers get a seamless connectivity between international and domestic flights. Reports will be generated daily and sent to the senior management of Air India and also to officials of the civil aviation ministry.

A DIAL executive said AI would become the first airline to shift domestic operations. “After the shift to T3 from November 11, Air India will become the first airline to start domestic operations from the new terminal,” the executive said on condition of anonymity.

A delayed plan
Shifting of domestic operations by full-service carriers and their low-cost subsidiaries – Air India, Jet Airways and its low-cost subsidiaries, JetLite and Jet Konnect, and Kingfisher Airlines and its low-cost subsidiary Kingfisher Red – was originally scheduled for mid-July. It then got postponed to August-end.

The deadline was further extended to October 30, as the civil aviation ministry did not want any disturbance when international tourists and delegations came in for the Commonwealth Games. However, the date was again extended to mid-November because connecting roads to the terminal and the Metro link to the airport were not ready.