IndiGo says Delhi airport's order on terminal shifting illegal

IndiGo has called Delhi  International Airport Limited's  directive asking it to partially shift operations from terminal 1 to 2 as “arbitrary and illegal” and sought civil aviation ministry intervention on the issue.

IndiGo was asked to convey its decision on Monday on the proposal to partially shift the operations. IndiGo has rejected the proposal yet again and has  lobbed the ball in the government's court

IndiGo is the largest operator at Delhi airport with 300 daily flights and 40,000 plus passengers.

In his representation to civil aviation ministry today, IndiGo president Aditya Ghosh quoted several court judgments and said the airport operator's move was unfair and anti-competitive. 

“DIAL has failed to adhere to a fair, transparent and balanced approach in arriving at any decision to safeguard the interest of the public and airlines. The unilateral decision of DIAL to allow one airline (GoAir) while at the same time directing two other airlines (SpiceJet and IndiGo) to relocate in part and split operations by shifting flights to and from certain sectors is arbitrary, illegal and mala fide,” Ghosh said in his letter. Such a decision to split operations selectively constitutes an abuse of authority given by civil aviation ministry to DIAL, Ghosh said.

DIAL did not share any comment on IndiGo's representation.

Last week IndiGo said it would require at least 120 days to make changes in its operations at Delhi airport and suggested rival SpiceJet to consider shifting its operations fully alongside GoAir to terminal 2. 

DIAL  had asked airlines to shift their operations partially from terminal 1 to allow it demolish and reconstruct the building which is functioning beyond its design capacity. The design capacity of the terminal is 20 million passengers a year and is handling 24 million passengers at present.

 

GoAir has agreed to shift its operations fully to terminal 2. But IndiGo and SpiceJet are resisting partial shifting of operations. The winter schedule begins on October 29 and the airport operator is keen to complete the process by the month end.