Indian airlines are planning to get hundreds of new aircrafts and it will be a nightmare. Here’s why

Several airlines in India are planning to buy more aircrafts but the plan can be a dampener due to unavailability of slots at the airports. Presently, all the airlines in India collectively have less than 400 aircrafts and yet many carriers don’t get additional arrival and departure slots.  If they bring in more flights, the airports won’t be able to manage the huge rush.

In a meeting of top officials of the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the airlines, the slot allocation for the coming winter was finalized. This led to the problem of airport infra crunch that threatens to worsen as airlines add planes to their fleets.

DGCA was asked by the AAI to form a capacity-planning and management body with airline representatives, airport operators and traffic control to decide on "measures to enhance runway capacity".

In the meeting all airlines were asked to submit their aircraft acquisition plan along with the plans for positioning of aircrafts.  Airlines also said that they weren’t able to get slots even for few moments at some airports.

"Mumbai airport is running to capacity and the city is looking at getting its second airport several years after the first one has got choked. Delhi, despite its three runways, has no free slots in peak hour. All these curtail the choice of flights for passengers," a senior airline official told TOI.

It was also advised that the Bengaluru and Mumbai airports runway closure should not be done simultaneously. The airport operator should give commitment that the works will increase the runway capacity.
(image: indiatimes)