The Chennai airport is ranked as low as 153 in the latest Airport Service Quality survey (by the Airports Council International) among 156 airports in Asia. While the ongoing modernisation and expansion of the airport may help lift its ranking, will it match the expectations of various stakeholders?
Airlines expect the expansion and modernisation project at the Chennai airport to ease congestion and improve space availability — two major bottlenecks. Freight operators, too, hope for faster movement of cargo.
The annual passenger traffic at the airport is 12 million. It is estimated to double by 2020. The Rs 2,015-crore expansion project hopes to ease congestion, at least partly, till a second airport takes shape.
The modernisation project includes construction of a new domestic terminal and expansion of the international terminal by 59,300 sq. m. It also involves extension of the 2.07-km-long secondary runway by 1.03 km. There will also be 14 additional parking bays.
Expectations
According to a spokesperson from Jet Airways, domestic traffic congestion is expected to reduce with the expanded airport. This should improve the processing time per passenger, resulting in an overall comfortable interaction between the airline and its guests.
There is also congestion at the security hold area. An increase in the number of boarding gates and aerobridges is required to address this issue, says the Jet spokesperson.
The new domestic terminal building is a three-level structure, spanning an area of 72,614 sq. m with the provision for seven gates, 52 check-in counters and eight counters for e-ticketing. The international terminal building, also a three-level structure, is expected to have 52 check-in counters and 18 immigration counters. The new-look airport will have adequate duty-free shopping space (nearly three times the existing retail space) both at the arrival and departures of the international terminal, promises the Airport Authority of India (AAI).
Jet Airways, one of the biggest users of the airport, has submitted suggestions to the AAI to make the terminals more user-friendly by enabling travellers connect between terminals with ease and in the shortest possible time. It has also suggested incorporating in-line screening facility at the new terminal, necessitating passengers to pre-screen bags before check-in.
Improved airport infrastructure will benefit passengers as well as ancillary services such as cargo facilities, according to Mr Sudhir Sukumaran, Regional Manager (South India), Emirates.
Currently, the cargo dwell time (the time the cargo sits on ground from when it is unloaded) at the Chennai airport is 14-16 hours. Mr Keki Patel, Cargo Manager (India and Nepal), Emirates, says: “Ideally, it should be only eight hours; otherwise it causes congestion. Hopefully, the improved airport will bring down the dwell time.”
Even as airlines are looking to boost frequency in Chennai, one is not sure whether the expanded airport will attract newer airlines. Air China is expected to launch its service, but not much is known about others, according to an industry insider. Perhaps they feel seeing is believing.
Long in the making
The Chennai airport modernisation and expansion project started in 2008 but it has extended well beyond three years, with the deadline being revised several times. One of the major issues was the acquisition of defence land for setting up a utility building, an a/c plant and substation, which was eventually sorted out.
Power required for the project also took time to arrive. The requirement at the expanded airport is around 110 kVA — more than three times the current need. Power, which was to arrive by December, was provided only late last month and the airport authorities have begun testing equipment at the airport. This has to be followed by mock trials with passengers. All this will take considerable time, and it is highly unlikely that flight operations can begin by April-end as promised.
There are several things still hanging loose. Mr D. Sudhakar Reddy, President of the Air Passengers Association of India, says: “There has been no airport advisory committee meeting. Airlines still have not been told where to keep their valuable spares. There has been a delay in aerobridges; orders have not been received. The Delhi terminal expansion project itself took only three years … ”
The promised travelator and multi-level car park, which were expected to take the airport a notch higher, may not happen in the first phase of the project. “But the plan has not been shelved. It will happen over time,” assures Mr E.P. Hareendranathan, Airport Director.
There is a widespread belief that a private player could have done a better job at delivering on time, but the AAI has been fighting hard to dispel such notions.
Amid all this is stiff resistance to the proposed user development fee. “The fee is expected to be around Rs 250 (for domestic routes). Already passengers are shelling a lot on air tickets and high cancellation charges. User fee can be at the most only Rs 100,” said Mr Reddy of the Air Passengers Association of India.
Time to set house in order
It is natural for a project of such scale and significance to face resistance. These are only teething troubles and the airport authorities will sort them out over time. The main point is this: the Chennai airport is one of the fastest growing airports in the country with revenues of around Rs 668 crore. Much of the growth has come from the flurry of industries that have invested in Chennai and buoyancy in medical tourism. With the city and the State, Tamil Nadu, slated for accelerated growth in the times to come, the airport becomes a crucial part of the progress.
Sadly, the Chennai airport has never had an outstanding reputation. Public memory is often tainted with images of stinking toilets and stuffy terminals. This is perhaps the best opportunity for the airport to set its house in order.
The modernisation project is a step in the right direction. But whether the promises have been kept will be known only when the doors are opened to the public. The airport director says the authorities are interacting with the airlines, Customs and immigration departments to facilitate preparedness and a commissioning committee has been set up.
All is well on paper. But there are bound to be minor hassles once operations begin and it is important that the authorities respond adequately.
Finally, the development of the airport depends upon its capability to support hub operations. One has to wait and watch how the Chennai airport develops as a major hub in the country. Till then, miles to go before it sleeps.