Delhi airport's expansion will bump up passenger capacity to 100 mn: DIAL

Amid the government looking to establish the national capital as an international aviation hub, Delhi airport operator DIAL on Monday said the airport's terminals will be able to handle 100 million passengers per annum once expansion work gets completed this year.

In FY23, the airport, which has three terminals now, handled around 65.33 million passengers, including 15.65 million international passengers.

Phase 3A expansion work is going on at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), which is operated by Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL).

"Post completion of Phase 3A expansion work scheduled in 2023, Delhi airport will become the only Indian airport whose terminals would be able to handle 100 million passengers per annum (MPPA)," it said in a release.

The airport offers connectivity with more than 142 domestic and international destinations.

During April 2022 to February 2023 period, the airport handled more than 14.50 million transfer passengers (hub traffic), including more than 3.37 lakh who were international to international transfer passengers.

Currently, 63 airlines operate out of Delhi airport.

"Nearly 70 per cent of Indian airports fall under Delhi's catchment area, which is a good mix of industrial and tourist destinations and can be reached by air within 60-90 minutes.

"Delhi airport is a dominant airport in the North and North East region. It also provides seamless connectivity between Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the rest of the world," the release said.

Meanwhile, the government is working on plans to make Delhi an international aviation hub.

"The government has asked Delhi airport and some of the major airlines to examine the global best practices on scheduling to ensure that international and domestic operations complement each other and provide enhanced connectivity from Delhi airport, essential for setting up India's first international aviation hubs," the release said.