IBNLive Chat: India can't be airport hub for S Asia

GROUND REALITIES: CNN-IBN aviation correspondent Karma Paljor in the ibnlive.com chat room.

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Bala (Singapore): There was a plan to privatise the airports in India? Is this plan still on or has it been cancelled?

Karma Paljor: Delhi and Mumbai have been privatised. We have private airports in Hyderabad and Bangalore. There could be more, which could be given to private developers.

Shankar SP: I am restricting myself to Bangalore's case. Nobody, particularly air passengers (the most important stakeholders), have a clue as to what exactly is contained in the agreement between the Government of India, the Government of Karnataka and the Siemens consortium vis-a-vis the new Bangalore International Airport. For example, does the agreement spell out what exactly is the capacity of the new airport? This, in our opinion is the most important aspect of the project, on which hinges the operational capability of the Airport. We recall press reports that appeared around the time the agreement was signed, that the airport's capacity would be for 6.5 million passengers per annum. As of date the old HAL Airport is already handling (albeit in the midst of chaos) over 9.5 million passengers. And with a projected growth of about 22 per cent per annum (approximately 15 million by 2010), we need not two but three airports. And as far as the second runway is concerned we understand the IAF will not allow construction of the same due to security reasons (the Yelahanka airbase is located next door). Is all this not reason enough, to retain the second airport?

Karma Paljor: Looking at the increasing passenger traffic, the Bangalore International Airport was asked to make design changes which they did. But the connectivity is the biggest problem.

Karun Katyal: Do you think we should reduce airport charges to facilitate more airlines with more frequency of services to India can be possible. In this region we have highest navigational charges behind Changi but great differences in services of what Changi offers.

Karma Paljor: I guess that’s why India can never hope to become a hub for South Asia. I completely agree.

Adarsh Mohanty: The Airport(currently in use)in Bangalore is located in a place where the traffic condition is horrible. The traffic is thrown out of gear on the prime times. For that reason they have already made a new airport which is located at a far off distance from the city. But people are objecting to it as it takes almost 2-3 hours to reach the new airport. I don't understand what the authorities are doing about it.

Karma Paljor: The situation is really terrible. We have been highlighting this problem for a long time. It is complete lack of coordination between the state government and the airport operator.

Jayesh Bhowmik: People who fly domestic need to stay only 40 minutes to one hour at the airport, where a chair and a clean toilet will be sufficient. Why do they have to shell out the so-called user's fee for flying? Why don’t the airlines and the airport authority bear the cost?

Karma Paljor: The agreement between the government and the new airport operators did allow for user fee but the current price is certainly debatable. Therefore the need for an Airport Regulator becomes paramount. The government is still working to put a regulator in place.

Karun Katyal: I guess the problem in the New Delhi airport is delay in having additional runway and the AAI lacked vision in making additional facilities.

Karma Paljor: Yes, definitely. The good news is that the second runway is ready. By April, if they have the Air traffic controllers they will be able to do simultaneous runway operations. To be fair to AAI, they did have plans but they were asked to wait by the government.

Nagarajan: The new Hyderabad airport was managed by private players from Sunday midnight. However, chaos still continues. Why is the media not taking them to task?

Karma Paljor: We are trying. Sadly the airport authorities do not want us there. We did manage to get all the government policies to go and report from the airport but our correspondent was thrown out. The airport manager said that it was not their policy to allow press to film.

Preetam: All the focus seems on airports in big cities like Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Airports in smaller towns and state capitals are being ignored. Private airlines don't want to fly to places where there is no profit. What are your comments?

Karma Paljor: Yes, it is true that none of the airlines want to fly to airports where there is a low demand. But the government policy does make it mandatory for all airlines to fly to non-profit making routes. But interesting fact is that the growth is being seen in smaller cities airports like Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Cochin, Bagdogra, Amritsar are handling a fair amount of traffic. The governments’ plan to modernise 35 non-metro airports is on track so far.

Faizal MHM: Having signed an agreement with new Airport authorities of Bangalore that the HAL airport will be shut down, how feasible is it for Bangalore to have two different airports?

Karma Paljor: There are different views. Right now there is a huge lobby, which wants the HAL airport to be kept open. The main issue with the new airport is connectivity. People who have filed public interest litigation believe that there is enough traffic to feed two airports. The government has to take a call since they have already signed an agreement with the BIAL to shift all commercial operations to the new airport.

Oliver: Don’t you think that Greenfield Airports are examples of wastage of land, when, what is required is modernisation of existing airports?

Karma Paljor: Modernisation is definitely a better idea. That is why there is a plan to revamp 35 non-metro airports. In areas where there is no space there is need for Greenfield airports. Also wherever the government cannot afford to build a new airport they are trying to entice private corporations to build these airports.

Sanjay Desai: What is the fault of the (baggage) handling companies at Hyderabad that they have been asked to permit airlines to handle themselves? What is the Ministry doing with such strange policies and changes?

Karma Paljor: I think the issue here is the contract between the ground handling company and the airport operator. In the case of Hyderabad it’s GMR. So the ministry has little say, this could be more of a legal problem.

Gaurav Maheshwari: I could never figure out the need to revamp Mumbai airport. We need a bigger airport and the existing airport is just too small to handle the flights and people's influx. Why can’t the government renovate the existing airports than making a new airport?

Karma Paljor: The problem with the Mumbai Airport is space for growth they need a bigger area for an additional runway which will facilitate additional flights. So there is a need for a new airport.