International flights to shift to new T3 Terminal at Delhi Airport on Wednesday

Route Map.

Tomorrow is the big day when all international operations to and from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) will migrate to the swank new T3 Terminal in the evening.

T3, one of the largest airport terminals in the world and an integrated facility for both international and domestic flights, was formally inaugurated on July 3 by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

After that, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) successfully carried out a series of proving flights on July 14 and 15.

"These proving flights afforded us a great opportunity to reaffirm the operational readiness of all stakeholders including Airlines, Ground Handlers, Aviation Oil Companies, Flight Caterers, Air Traffic Control (ATC), Concessionaires, Duty Free Shops, Airport Operator, Statutory Agencies like Immigration, Customs, CISF etc. to carry out their functions in the complete turnaround of a number of actual flights," a spokesman for DIAL said.

He said Wednesday had been chosen for transition for international flights because the day provided the airport with a window of least amount of flight activity between 1400-1930 hrs.

Tomorrow, until 1645 hours, all arriving flights will operate into T2. At 1645 hours, Air India's AI 102 from New York will become the first flight to operate into T3, followed by an Air India flight from Tokyo ten minutes later.

The transition period will also see the arrivals of an Air India flight from Kathmandu and another from Jaipur on their way to Dubai as well as a Kingfisher flight from Kathmandu, also bound for Dubai.

In the meantime, a Pakistan Airlines flight from Lahore will arrive at 1610 hours and return at 1730 hour from T2.

Gulf Air's GF 134 will arrive from Bahrain at 1720 into T2 and return to Bahrain at 1850, also from T2, making them the very last flights to operate into and out of T2.
 
All other International flights arriving and departing into IGI Airport after 1930 will operate from T3 and after the departure of GF135 to Bahrain at 1805 hrs, T2 will cease international flight operations.

The spokesman said check-in will open at 1450 hours for the first departure from T3, which will be Air India's IC 895 at 1850 hours. He said all facilities such as retail units, food and beverage units, ground transportation, including taxis and landside transfer of passengers to T1, will be available from tomorrow.

The new terminal is part of the project for the modernisation and upgradation of the Delhi airport awarded to DIAL, a joint venture company formed by the Bangalore-based GMR Group, Airports Authority of India (AAI), Fraport and Malaysian Airport Holdings.

T3 will have an initial capacity of 34 million passengers per annum. It has eight levels, 28 metres above the ground level with a built-up area of 5.5 million sq ft and an apron area of 6.3 million sq ft.

Inside the new T3 Terminal at Delhi Airport.

The common check-in concourse has 168 check-in counters and 24 remove check-in counters. The terminal has a modern five-level in-line baggage system for faster processing. The separate screening of baggage at the entry of the terminal has been dispensed with and it will now take place at the check-in counters. There will be 98 immigration counters for international passengers.

The terminal has 78 aero bridges, the largest number of a single terminal anwhere in the world. It also has a 100-room transit hotel.

DIAL said the terminal had been built to provide the highest service level so that the least possible time is taken in all processing areas - main entrance gates, check-in counters, baggage screening, immigration and security - so that the passengers have a good experience.

The terminal will have a multi-level car parking facility, the largest in India with space for 4300 cars and automated operations.

A modern Airport Operations Control Centre (AOCC) alongwith Security Operations Control Centre (SOCC) has been established in front of the terminal. There will be 3000 closed circuit television sets and 352 screening machines at the airport.

The terminal will have an 8-lane road connectivity with the National Highway (NH-8) passing nearby. It will also have an underground station of the Delhi Metro. The journey from New Delhi Railway Station to the airport is expected to take 18 minutes.

The airport village opposite the terminal will have a large number of food and retail outlets for the convenience of the large number of people who will come to receive and see off passengers. The terminal itself will have about 30 food and beverage ad retail outlets, with international brands and high class duty free facilities. There will be several lounges for various categories of passengers.

Trial runs for Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) had started from 1 April, 2010. Domestic operations will shift to the new terminal on August 27.

NNN