ENS

Bangalore, Sep 4: The Bengaluru International Airport (BIA), which completed 100 days of commercial operations on Monday, will soon be in expansion mode. The airport is expected to commence the second phase by the third quarter of 2009 (around July). During the second phase, the construction of a second terminal and a second runway would be started. This work is expected to be completed in another three to four years.

“We are confident of meeting capacity requirements for the next 18 months,” said BIAL CEO Albert Brunner. In addition, BIAL is also planning to build an ‘Express Terminal’ to accommodate any capacity after the 18-month period. The Express Terminal will be built in 15 to 18 months, hence the nomenclature.

The BIA, which completed 100 days of commercial operations, has so far seen 2.42 million passengers, 29,446 aircraft movements, and the handling of 44,357 metric tonnes of cargo, besides also an encouraging 30 per cent increase in international airlines and air freight carriers into the city.

The growth, though declining owing to the overall upheaval in the aviation sector in the last several months, has been encouraging.

“We had several teething problems in the first few weeks, the situation has improved very fast. The passengers have indicated a high level of satisfaction with the new airport. They have specially been appreciative of the check-in procedures, courtesy of airport staff and the overall ambience of the airport”, said Brunner on the completion of 100 days of commercial operations.

Commenting on the passenger traffic, Brunner said that the airport is yet to see passenger traffic hit the peak hour capacity. The peak hour at the Airport constitutes 30 per cent of the total operational hours currently, leaving plenty of scope to rationalise flight schedules and even out peak hours through the day, thereby eliminating capacity constraints at the Airport.