Page 32 - AAA MARCH-APRIL 2012 Online Magazine

AIRPORTS

ON ThE gROUNd

ShIMOgA POSTPONEd
The Indian Director General of Civil
Aviation (DGCA) has raised safety
concerns about the environment of the
new Shimoga Airport in Karnataka. The
DGCA has cited buildings and power
lines close to the site as being potential
hazards, and demanded their removal or
destruction.
This could mean a further 6-month
delay for the pet project of former chief
minister BS Yeddyurappa, who has been
accused of corruption and “mentally
unstability”. DGCA officials have
instructed the local civil authorities to
demolish around 60 concrete structures
from a nearby industrial area and relocate
some 7km of high tension power lines.
Airport manager D Basavarj is reported
as saying this will mean more delays.

BEIjINg: WORLd’S LARgEST AIRPORT

According to reports from local China the new airport will have nine runways and
media, and despite official protests to be able to handle 130million passengers
the contrary from Chinese Civil Aviation and 5.5million tonnes of freight per year.
sources, it seems the authorities Initial cost reports say it will have a price
are putting as much into aviation tag of US$5billion. The existing facilities at
infrastructure as into railways. A new Beijing Capital International Airport catered
airport, situated at Langfang in Hebei for almost 74million passengers in 2010, but
Province will be built within five years, is creaking at the seams, say experts. With
says a recent report in the Yanzhao annual increase passenger traffic increasing
Metropolis Daily. Situated around at about 15% a year, it has reached capacity
20minutes by train (40km) from Beijing, and needs replacing soon.

SINgAPORE RISINg dELhI ChARgES UP dON MUEANg BACk
Singapore Changi Airport opened the A massive hike in airport charges by the
2012 year on a strong note, according to Delhi International Airport may impact ONLINE
its latest passenger figures. With 4.24 aviation infrastructure, say ratings Bangkok’s second largest airport
million passengers passing through the agency, Standard & Poor’s. “In our view, reopened after being shut down for more
airport in January 2012, it notched up the higher tariffs could negatively affect the than four-months after Thailand’s worst
second highest passenger movement credit quality and resilience of some floods in decades. The arirport manager
figure that it has ever recorded, up 12.1% low cost airlines operating out of Delhi. assured users that the facility is now
over the corresponding month last year. Large international full service airlines “100% ready to resume services”. Don
Air traffic movements grew in tandem, may reduce the number of flights to Mueang shut its runways to commercial
with 27,600 aircraft movements, 14.9% the city, but we don’t expect them to traffic last October following the floods
more than a January 2011. However, cease operations to Delhi or move their which decimated the country’s transport
the report noted that with decreased hubs to lower-cost airports,” said Rajiv and manufacturing bases. So far,
airfreight demand over the Lunar New Vishwanathan, Standard & Poor’s credit however, only three airlines are back with
Year period, cargo movements at Changi analyst. The report is titled `The Delhi scheduled flights - Thai Airways, Nok Air
Airport in January was down 7.1% Airport Project: A Case Study Of What and One-Two-Go. A previous user, Orient
on-year with 136,800 tonnes of cargo Hinders Private Participation In India’s Thai, plans to stay at its post-flood base
handled in total. Infrastructure Development.’. of Suvarnabhumi.
32 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS MARCH / APRIL 2012 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM