AAI's flight plans: Privatising smaller airports is a good idea

In order to make this proposal viable for the private sector, however, much will depend on the nature of the model revenue-share agreement that the ministry of civil aviation offers

The Centre has finally come round to a decision that should have been taken at least a decade ago, to privatise airports. At least eight government-owned airports are expected to be put up for bidding by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Sharp increases in the number of domestic air passengers — the numbers crossed 100 million in 2017 — warrant not just an expansion of airport space within existing properties but also an exponential improvement in the quality and efficiency of service. The eight airports slated for privatisation, including Chennai, Kolkata, Pune, and Guwahati, have seen 10 to 26