FCC

IndiGo seeks international operations at Delhi's T1

2023-05-25

IndiGo, India's leading domestic airline, has requested the creation of international facilities at the expanded Terminal 1 of Delhi's IGI Airport. The airline aims to consolidate its operations in one terminal for improved efficiency and passenger convenience. Currently, IndiGo operates from all three terminals (T1, 2, and 3) in Delhi. The completion of the T1 expansion is expected by September, and thereafter, the necessary clearances from relevant government agencies will be sought to enable international operations at T1.

The plan is to designate T3 for Tata Group airlines, including Air India-Vistara and AI Express-AirAsia India combinations, as well as foreign carriers. T1 would cater to low-cost carriers such as IndiGo, while T2 would handle domestic flights for full-service carriers. This segregation of terminals is expected to alleviate the inconvenience faced by passengers who currently struggle to navigate between terminals due to the lack of an automated people mover.

Interestingly, T2, which was originally built as an international terminal for Asiad 1982, will likely be the only terminal at IGIA that does not handle international flights until a new terminal is constructed. The completion of T1 expansion was delayed due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the surge in air travel has necessitated its timely completion.