Delhi overtakes Mumbai to become India's busiest airport

New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport has ousted Mumbai as the busiest airport as its daily flight movements reached 872 on August 18 as opposed to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA), Mumbai which is handling over 700 flight movements daily.

Delhi has managed to gain the ‘busiest airport’ tag due to the newly built T3 terminal at Delhi and Air India (AI) making Delhi its hub.

On Thursday the IGI saw 872 flight movements with 588 domestic and 208 international flights along with 76 charter and cargo movements. “On Wednesday we handled 869 flights and on Thursday it was 872,” said the spokesperson for Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL).

Due to these figures Delhi has left Mumbai behind as the later handles over 700 landings and take-offs daily.

The main reason for IGI’s rise to the top spot this summer schedule is the swanky new terminal T3, which has added to the airport’s capacity. “T3 can handle 34 million passengers per annum and with T3, now IGI can handle a total of 60 million passengers annually,” said an official from DIAL.

IGI has other two terminals T1 D and T1 C.  Till 2007, before the privatisation of Delhi airport, IGI handled 12 million passengers per year.

“But with T3, the infrastructure at IGI has increased tremendously. For instance, before 2007, there were 143 check-in counters at IGI but now there are 248.  Similarly there are 78 aerobridges compared to the 9 earlier and 64 boarding gates compared to 23 in 2007,” the official adds.

The national carrier Air India (AI) has shifted its hub to Delhi. This has added to the increase in flights.

“As Air India has made Delhi its hub, it is handling all its international flights from Delhi which has added to our flight movements,” said the official.

Mumbai airport with over 711 flights daily, is still lagging behind Delhi.