Terminal 1D takes off

“I was in Delhi on a business trip and had to catch a return flight to Mumbai. I did not know about the new terminal. It was sheer luck that I reached before time and didn’t miss my flight,” said Sanjay Mehta,a businessman who had to catch an Indigo flight.

Several passengers said the staff deployed by the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) and the airlines operating from T1D to guide people to the new terminal proved to be of little help on the first day.

There were,however,others who could not hide their surprise. P Setia,among the first few passengers at T1D,said: “I hardly had to wait at the check-in counter and the security channel. The excitement started after the security check,as we had many options for food and shopping.”

While DIAL has put up display boards to help passengers,several airlines have started shuttle bus service from T1B to T1D.

With the new terminal in place,70 per cent of all domestic airlines will now operate from there. Indigo Airlines,Kingfisher Red and Kingfisher Airlines were the first ones to operate from T1D. While Indigo and Kingfisher Red were shifted from 1B,Kingfisher Airlines made the shift from 1A. Other airlines — Jet Airways,Jetlite,Spicejet,Go Air and Jagson — will shift in the next phase. The schedule of their transfer is likely to be announced shortly,according to DIAL officials.

Air India and MDLR will continue to operate from 1A.

The new terminal,spread over 35,000 square metres,took the GMR Rs 500 crore and one and a half years to complete.

The first passengers checking in to T1D were accorded a traditional welcome by the DIAL staff with aarti,tilak,sweets and garlands. Toddlers were greeted with toys. Around 8,000 passengers travelled through the T1D on the first day,the officials said.

Cherrie Williams from Chicago,the first passenger to check in at T1D,was travelling to Guwahati by Indigo flight 6E 201. “I am very impressed and lucky to be the first passenger to check in. It’s unbelievable to see such a swanky terminal in Delhi,” she said.

Earlier,B S Shantharaju,the chief executive officer of DIAL,presented a grand ceremonial key to Udayan Banerjee,DIG,Central Industrial Security Force,and Deepak Aggarwal,Commandant,CISF (IGI),symbolising the handing over of the terminal to the security agency that mans the airport. “A good airport should have a high level of service quality and hi-tech security. Together with the CISF,we will endeavour to provide a safe and smooth experience to passengers,” said Shantaraju.

DIAL has started a complementary golf cart service to transfer passengers from terminals 1A,1B and 1C to T1D.