Two rapid exit taxiways to be commissioned at Bengaluru

Airlines can now add more flights from the Bengaluru airport with the commissioning of two rapid exit taxiways (RETs) from tomorrow, which will increase aircraft movement capacity to 38 per hour from 34 movements per hour at present.
The runway upgradation work at the Kempegowda International Airport at Bengaluru, which included construction of two additional RETs, has been completed and the taxiways are set to be commissioned tomorrow, a release said.
Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), a joint venture company, runs the Bangalore International Airport.
Canadian NRI businessman Prem Watsa's Fairfax group now has around 48 per cent stake in BIAL. Apart from Fairfax, Siemens Project Ventures, Airport Authority of India (AAI) and Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation are the other stakeholders in the JV airport.

With the addition of the two RETs, the per hour flight handling capacity at the runway increases to 38 as against 34 now, BIAL said in the release, adding that it will progressively be scaled up to 44 movements per hour.
BIAL also said that its flight operations at the Bengaluru airport are likely to be affected between 11 am 2.30 pm tomorrow due to the commissioning of the two additional taxiways, and added that flights could be delayed by up to 20 minutes during the period.

Airlines have already been informed about the anticipated delay in operations on this account, it said.

The runway upgradation work had commenced in February this year to cater to the growing air traffic at the Bengaluru airport.
The upgradation work was carried out in a phased manner in certain parts, involving closure of the runway, and in other parts, partial closure of facilities without any impact on airport operations, it said.
BIAL has taken into view the long-term benefit of increased capacity for the upcoming seasons till the second runway becomes available, which is expected to be functional by September 2019, the release said.