Air India group airlines, currently operating entirely from Indira Gandhi International Airport's Terminal 3 (T3) in Delhi, will be relocating a part of their domestic flights to the other two terminals from October 26, when the winter schedule for this year takes effect. According to Air India, the adjustments have been necessitated by the ongoing activities at the airport’s flagship T3 to expand its international passenger capacity. The only Delhi airport terminal for international flights, T3 handles domestic flights as well. The other two terminals are used only for domestic flights. “The terminal enlargement works will reduce domestic capacity at T3, necessitating the relocation of certain domestic operations of Air India and Air India Express, effective October 26. Air India will relocate 60 of its 180 daily domestic departures out of Delhi to the upgraded Terminal 2 (T2). Concurrently, Air India Express will move all its domestic operations to the newly renovated and upgraded Terminal 1 (T1),” Air India said on Friday, adding that all international flights of Air India and Air India Express will continue to operate from T3. Air India’s domestic flights departing from or arriving at T2 will be renumbered to have four digits starting with ‘1’. According to the airline, this clear distinction will help travellers to easily identify the terminal just by looking at the flight number. Air India and Air India Express will be notifying all passengers who already hold bookings for flights that would be relocating to T2 and T1. While IndiGo, India’s largest airline, has operated from all three terminals at the Delhi airport, this would be a first for Air India, which has operated only from T3 since the terminal started operations in 2010, allowing it to facilitate passenger transfers within the same terminal. “Air India or Air India Express guests with connections, carrying boarding passes for their onward flights will be provided inter-terminal transfers between T1, T2, and T3. This service applies to connections between Air India flights, Air India Express flights, and on applicable codeshare connections. Any through-checked baggage for these guests will be seamlessly transferred airside, eliminating the need to collect and recheck baggage during terminal transfers,” Air India said. All other passengers requiring transfers between T1, T2 and T3 can use the airport’s shuttle service, which runs every 10 minutes. “Passengers with reduced mobility and those requiring special assistance can also opt for a comfortable buggy ride between T2 and T3,” the airline said, adding that passengers will receive notifications and reminders regarding the terminal from which their flights will depart. Some of the airline’s ground staff, available to assist passengers, will wear special t-shirts for ease of recognition by passengers, it said. T3 has an international passenger capacity of around 20 million a year, while it is already handling nearly 24 million international flyers. The conversion of one pier - Pier C - to international from domestic will raise its international passenger handling capacity to around 32 million, which would be sufficient to take care of international passenger footfalls for the next four to five years as per airlines’ projections, airport operator Delhi International Airport had said in February.
