About 114 daily flights to and from Delhi Airport will be cancelled between June 15 and September 15 this year, as one of its four runways undergoes an upgrade, Delhi International Airport (DIAL) CEO Videh Kumar Jaipuriar said on Friday.
GMR Group-led DIAL operates Delhi Airport, the largest in the country. “The Delhi airport handles 1,450 aircraft movements per day. Out of these, 114 daily movements will be cancelled during the runway upgrade. Passengers will face inconvenience in the short term, but definitely stand to benefit in the long run,” Jaipuriar said during a press conference.
As part of the exercise, DIAL will update the current ILS (instrument landing system), which is already out of order. DIAL will also make the runway CAT III-B compliant. CAT III-B is an advanced landing system that allows aircraft to land in extremely low visibility conditions.
He highlighted that this strategic runway overhaul will enhance winter operations, preventing delays during dense seasonal fog. He reassured that all schedule changes have been filed with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), ensuring minimal passenger inconvenience.
To prevent cascading delays, a new slot plan has been finalised after multiple rounds of discussions with airlines, DGCA, air traffic control (ATC), and the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The runway closure coincides with the low travel season to avoid disruptions during the festive period rush.
During the three-month closure, arrival capacity will temporarily dip from 42 flights per hour to 32, impacting key sectors like Mumbai and Patna.
Due to extreme weather conditions like heavy rain and hailstorms at the airport, a climate mitigation plan is also being prepared. “The report will guide the airport on managing the situation. A private agency is preparing it, and it will be submitted to us by the end of this year,” he added.
IndiGo and Air India, which have the largest number of services at IGI Airport, will be affected the most by the upgradation and will need to make most of the adjustments.