To meet the growing passenger numbers, the T2 terminal has been opened recently in the expanded airport.
IndiGo Airlines, which has objected to the shifting part of its operations at the Delhi airport, got a sharp reprimand from the Airport authority DIAL today.
The airline had approached the Delhi High Court to appeal against the decision of DIAL (the Delhi International Airport Limited) to shift its operations from Terminal 1 to the newly opened Terminal 2 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
The decision would spread Indigo's operation over three terminals, since it also has international flights from T3. The airline - currently the biggest in terms of market share -- had said it would result in confusing the passengers and suggested that the entire T1 terminal be given exclusively to it.
Senior advocate Harish Salve, who appeared for DIAL, responded sharply. "Don't teach me how to operate my airport," he was quoted as saying by news agency IANS.
DIAL said the safety and security of passengers was its primary responsibility. In case of a fire or a terror threat, overcrowding at the airport would have serious consequences and handling it was DIAL's responsibility, not the airlines.
To meet the growing passenger numbers, the T2 terminal has been opened recently in the expanded airport. The DIAL had asked three airlines operating from T1 - GoAir, IndiGo and SpiceJet --- to shift one-third of their flights to T2. DIAL said the three airlines fly nearly 8 million passengers to these cities every year and a shift to T2 would considerably reduce the burden on T1 terminal.
The shift of flights to Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru, DIAL said, could be made effective from January 4.
Justice AK Chawla, who was hearing the arguments of IndiGo, DIAL and the Central government, reserved the order on IndiGo's plea.