Domestic services likely from new terminal

Arjun Raghunath
The New Indian Express
01 Oct 2010

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amidst final steps to commence international services from the new terminal of the Thiruvananthapuram airport, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is actively considering operation of both international and domestic services from the new terminal.
AAI officials here have already sent a proposal in this regard to their headquarters in New Delhi. The National Aviation Company of Indian Limited (Air India) had also raised a demand to operate both the domestic and international services from the new terminal.
``The proposal is under the active consideration of our headquarters. However, it may take some time to get the final nod as lots of technical factors are involved,’’ AAI sources said.
A major point being raised for the integration of both the terminals is that the peak-time passenger handling capacity of both the existing international and domestic terminals would come to only 1,000 whereas the new terminal could accommodate up to 1,600 passengers during peak hours. Hence, integration of both the international and domestic terminals with the new terminal would not lead to any congestion in the airport. The number of domestic passengers is only around one-third of the total number of international passengers.
Another impact of operating both domestic and international services from the new terminal would be on the user development fee. Once the domestic services are also operated from the new terminal the domestic passengers would also have to bear the user fee. In such a case, the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority would have to rework the user fee which is now fixed at Rs 755.
At present, 14 airlines are operating international services from the Thiruvananthapuram Airport and four airlines are operating domestic services.
The new terminal is close to the city by around four kms compared to that of the existing domestic and international terminals. Hence, operating both domestic and international service from here would be convenient to the users, except for the user fee factor.
At a meeting of officials of various airlines and other agencies associated with the airport held here on Monday, NACIL had demanded integration of both domestic and international services from the new terminal. A delegation of NACIL would be holding further talks with AAI officials here on Friday.
Meanwhile, sources at a private airline alleged that there was a move to allow NACIL alone to operate both domestic and international services from the new terminal. Any such decision would invite strong protest from the other domestic airlines, especially Jet Airways, which is also operating both international and domestic services.
Kingfisher and Paramount are the two other airlines operating domestic service from Thiruvananthapuram. AAI officials are going ahead with steps to commence operations from the airport before October 20. An Air India Express flight would conduct a trial flight on October 14