BS Infra Summit: India's airports gain capacity but bottlenecks loom

India's airports now have capacity ahead of demand, with $11 bn investment, dual-airport hubs in Delhi & Mumbai, but concerns remain on airspace, parking bays and staffing gaps

For the first time in Indian aviation history, airports appear to have capacity ahead of demand, reversing a decade-long pattern of infrastructure playing catch up with traffic growth. 

This marks a turning point for the sector, backed by an $11-billion investment pipeline. 

Delhi and Mumbai are on the cusp of becoming dual-airport systems. Delhi International Airport has expanded to around 100 million passengers and is targeting 130–140 million, which will be complemented by Noida International Airport when it opens in the next few months. 

In Mumbai, Navi Mumbai International Airport is expected to be operational in the next few months, creating a system projected to handle 145 million passengers annually. 

Adani Airports is upgrading six non-metro airports, while Airports Authority of India (AAI) is investing $4 billion in regional capacity.

Industry executives see this wave of development as a structural shift. For the first time, Indian airports will depend largely on Indian carriers for international growth, particularly long-haul expansion. 

With aircraft orders worth nearly $90 billion, Air India, IndiGo and Akasa are set to double India’s fleet by FY30, potentially adding 600–700 aircraft in five-seven years. 

Yet warnings are piling up. “Although terminal and runway infrastructure is being developed, greater attention may need to be given to ensuring that there are sufficient parking bays available to support fleet expansion,” CAPA India said in June 2024. 

The report also stressed that the productivity of single and dual-runway airports must be raised to international benchmarks.  Airspace management was another area of concern. “Corporatisation of air navigation services (ANS) is necessary if airspace bottlenecks are to be addressed,” CAPA India said. 

It added that restructuring and optimisation would still be essential even without corporatisation. 

Staffing shortfalls are equally pressing. The number of air traffic controllers, security staff is inadequate. And, skills shortages are expected across pilots, engineers, air traffic controllers and maintenance personnel.