At the start of Aero India in early February, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., announced it would make delivery of the first five of the Advanced Light Helicopters sold to the Ecuadorian Air Force using the behemoth Antonov An-124-100.


On the night of March 18th the giant transporter came to the HAL airport to load up. I managed to catch her departure yesterday and hope you enjoy the picture. She is BIG!!! Even with a small Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens she filled more than 60 per cent of the photo frame.


While at the airport I managed to also capture one of the four Indian Air Force owned Embraer ERJ135 derived Legacy 600 Executive Business Jet (IAF tail number K3601, actual registration VU-AVS) coming in to land. A fifth aircraft of this type is owned by the Border Security Force. These aircraft are used to transport VIP passengers. I wonder who came to Bangalore on it?

Also got buzzed by an Ilyushin IL 76 MD of the Indian Air Force. Called Gajraj (King of Elephants) by the Indian Air Force, (IAF tail number K2879, actual registration VU-FGH). The IL 76 MD is a strategic heavy lift transporter very aptly named; she is big and noisy.

Even with its large size, the IL 76 MD Gajraj was dwarfed by the Antonov An-124-100.

Sorry about the heat haze, even at 10:15 AM, it is peak summer at Bangalore.

To get a small appreciation of the An-124's abilities see this video about the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) trains which were transported from Bombardier's Germany facility to New Delhi by the giant transporter.

A huge hat tip to Airliners-India user Aseem for the video link.

Please note, these images are covered by a CC license who terms are at the bottom of this page.

India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is carrying out a two-week second phase weapon testing trials of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas at an Air Force base in the north-western sector.

As per DRDO officials

"The focus of the current phase of testing is safe separation and accuracy of weapon delivery. The results from the tests would validate aerodynamic interference data as well as complex weapon release algorithms in different modes of release,"

A composite test team comprising of specialists from Aeronautical Development Agency, Indian Air Force (IAF), Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., and other aerospace agencies is also at the base to evaluate the performance of the aircraft.



DRDO has also linked the air base with the base station at Bangalore enabling designers and other specialists to monitor the activities in real time. In parallel the trials are using the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) GPS Radiosonde to gather accurate upper air data at the trial location.

The first of seven squadrons of LCA's are expected to be delivered to the Indian Air Force by December 2010. PTI.

The Aero India 2009 continues to draw large crowds, and for today and tomorrow, a huge crush of footfalls is expected.

Aerial displays in the morning and afternoon sessions are as spectacular and breathtaking as in any major air show held worldwide. While the public focusses on the magnificent flying machines and their daredevil pilots, they remain blissfully unaware of the singular edifice that facilitates and coordinates all the flying activity – the Air Traffic Control (ATC) - the heart of the air show, at Air Force Station (AFS) Yelahanka (VOYK).

Activity at the ATC begin before dawn and continue well beyond dusk. As the premiere training station for all Indian Air Force (IAF) transport wing, AFS Yelahanka, is one of the busiest military airfields in the country. Not only does it handle over 60,000 movements annually, it also has to contend with two major airfields - Bengaluru International Airport (BIA), just 4 nm to the north, and the HAL airport 10nm south. A task well handled by Chief Operations Officer (COO), Wing Commander N.V.M. Unnithan and his team.

Assisting him and bristling with activity, a 24x7 manned 'Base Operations Room' controls all aspects of the flying and coordinating with various agencies including 'flying display director', routine movements, VIP protocol, ground handling agencies, BIA, and HAL remains fully operational at the ATC tower.

While an anxious F-16 pilot, USAF Lieutenant Mike Benson, coordinating the flight schedule of the C-130 Hercules, was happy after the arrangements were explained by the COO, Captain Uphoff and Lieutenant Michael Schumacher (just a coincidence) of the German Air Force's Fighter Wing-73, technical team members of the Eurofighter Typhoon dropped by to thank the officials at the ATC, a gesture symbolic of the universal spirit exemplified at the air show.

Preparations began six months in advance. Coordination meetings were crucial as Aero India 2009 was the first air show since the opening of new airport (BIA) last year. With a lateral separation between the airfields of just 4.3 nautical miles it was imperative to halt all civilian flights at BIA during the air displays. Most visiting aircraft of the IAF had to be housed at HAL due to the space constraints at Yelahanka. There is full cooperation between all the three airports and the flight displays are going perfect as expected.

The proximity of the flight paths at Yelahanka and BIA is demonstrated by this photograph of the F16IN SuperViper by my photography guru and guide, Praveen Sundaram a.k.a. Photoyogi. Do take the time to check his photo-stream.

Significant improvements in airfield infrastructure, resurfacing of the taxi-track, airfield links, refitting of the runway lighting, drainage of the 8,500 feet long runway were completed in just four months, ahead of the show, as per senior ATC officer, Wing Commander Sunil Ninan.

Seated on the console panels in a glass-encased environment, the cool demeanour of the five ATC officers manning the consoles betray little of the highly stressful role the controllers undergo. The banner displayed at the entrance says it all - 'You are about to witness the most stressful profession in the world'.

While many in Indian commercial aviation complain about the accents of expatriate pilots, at Aero India there are many pilots from different countries, speaking in different accents, and the ATC controllers are equally adept at picking up the nuances, ensuring unambiguous and crystal clear communication between the pilots and ATC.

Flight safety remains paramount; all flight paths including the aerial displays, and restrictions are designed with risk mitigation in mind. AFS Yelahanka has the township of Yelahanka to the south, and is bounded to the north and east by BIA and its resultant development.

In an effort to restrict the bird activity especially during the flying displays that are flown at low-levels, adequate aerial surveys were done in the period leading to the air show. Ten 'bird scare' teams mounted on specially procured silent electric bikes prowl the entire airfield with double-barrel guns in the airfield area. In addition, 'whistlers', a pyro-technique device emitting high frequency, high-pitch sound that irritate the birds are being effectively used.

Closure of the fish, poultry, and meat markets in the near vicinity on specified days and covering water bodies (lakes and ponds) with nets are some of the initiatives undertaken by the IAF personnel at the base.

Despite these steps, birds are present in plenty, and BBMP officials have to get serious about sanitation and open-air meat markets in the Yelahanka, Devanahalli and Ejipura area

The meteorological forecasts during the air show got a boost with the installation of a 'Numerical Weather Prediction Module' enabling 24-hours observation watch, and 18-hours forecast watch, informed Wing Commander VK Choudhary, senior Met Officer at the base.

We have to applaud the efforts of all the people involved. From the policeman at Hebbal flyover, ensuring traffic gets to AFS Yelahanka quickly, to the IAF personnel at the base, the exhibitors, the display teams, pilots, and support crews, the government, and the organisers. It is a herculean effort executed with seamless precision and complete cooperation. Last, and certainly not the least, I hats off to the tireless efforts of the entire team at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), led by Greeta Varughese and Sourav Narayan Biswas. They have all been working 20+ hour days for the last two weeks, to ensure the show is an unbridled success it is.

Stay tuned for a photo-essay........

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL), is readying to hand over its first competitively won contract of the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), the Dhruv. HAL won an order for 7 helicopters from Ecuador beating out global heavyweights like Eurocopter, on performance and and a price of just $7 million per helicopter.

Dhruv ALH in peacock livery of the Indian Air Force Sarang display team

Five shiny new Dhruvs (The Pole Star in Sanskrit) with the insignia of the Ecuadorian Air Force, stand ready at HAL in Bangalore, ahead of schedule.

With Colombia and Chile evaluating the Dhruv, and carefully watching HAL's performance of the Ecuador contract, HAL, is leaving no stone unturned to ensure both a speedy delivery and on-going maintainability so that Ecuador has no problems with its Dhruv fleet.

Instead of disassembling the helicopters, HAL is learning from the Indian Air Force Sarang display team, and sending the aircraft via an Antonov AN124. Also, a specially selected team of ten HAL engineers is being posted in Ecuador for the two-year period when the Dhruvs will be under warranty. During these two years, the HAL engineers will train the Ecuadorian Air Force to maintain its Dhruvs.

The Ecuador Air Force chief will receive five Dhruvs at a high-profile media event at Aero India 2009. The remaining two will be handed over within six months.

The Dhruv assembly line in Bangalore is already busy, fulfilling orders from the Indian armed forces for 159 helicopters.

The Sunday Times of India has published an article detailing the slamming of the Ministry of Civil Aviation by the Standing Parliamentary Committee on Transport and Tourism.

Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr. Praful Patel, frequently flies in to Bangalore HAL airport, on board an aircraft owned by Delhi and Hyderabad airport promoters GMR.

HAL airport closure violated

In a damning rebuke to the central government, a parliamentary panel has stated that the closure of HAL airport was a clear violation of the due process. The department-related parliamentary standing committee on transport, tourism and culture headed by Sitaram Yechury said in its report, a copy of which is available with the STOI (Sunday Times of India), "The closure of HAL airport was not mentioned in the tender for Bengaluru Greenfield Airport. Naturally, all the parties who participated in the tender process would have made their offers on this basis only. Making an offer of closure of HAL Airport after the Notice Inviting Tender (NIT), appears to be a clear violation of the due process," the report that was presented to the Rajya Sabha and laid on the table of the Lok Sabha explains.

As regards the restriction on having another airport within 150 km of the existing airport, granting permission to start a new Greenfield Airport within that radius prima facie seems to be in violation of the government policy on airport infrastructure.

As per the policy, if another airport is allowed within an aerial distance of 150 km of an existing airport, a passenger-sharing formula has to be evolved. The government in the present case, not only allowed the new airport to share passengers but also closed down the existing profit-making airports. The closure of existing airports has been done in haste, the report objected.

"The Government of India appears to be unconcerned about the obligation of BIAL to construct and provide an airport as per the concession agreement. Even the area and capacity were not verified before permitting to open new and closing HAL airport. This appears to be an irregularity committed by GOI in this matter," the committee has also stated.

"Hundreds of crores of rupees were spent for developing infrastructure at the old airports both at Bengaluru and Hyderabad but it is lying unutilised due to the closure of old airports for commercial purposes. Another interesting fact is that the old airports at these two places are being used for operation of VIP flights, non-schedule flights, general aviation and helicopter taxis etc.

During the deliberations of committee, the AAI reported that there is absolutely no problem in operating of two airports simultaneously in a city. So, the committee recommends that the old airports may be used for short-haul flights, which are operating from the nearby airports, as it is more convenient. There is no reason or justification for keeping the hundreds of crores of worth infrastructure at the old airports idle just to be used for VIP and other flights.

The committee also notes that closure of HAL airport led to loss of jobs due to reduction in flights and due to closure of airline operators. Thousands of direct and indirect workers also lost their jobs including trolley retrievers, small time vendor, taxi drivers, auto drivers, loaders etc. Despite assurances by the respective managements they have not been accommodated in the new airports.

"Commercial Civil aviation activities are continuing in the Bangalore HAL with the consent of the management of BIAL and GOI, whereas the concessional Agreement and the notification issued by the GOI clearly prohibits any commercial aviation activity. This shows that if the government wants, they can operationalise the old airports not withstanding the agreement.

The paragraph of the article is in clear reference to the air taxi service operated by Air Deccan.

It appears the folks at Praja have obtained the minutes of the meetings of the Steering Committee for the new International Airport at Devanahalli (which has now become Bengaluru International Airport), under the Right To Information Act. I strongly suggest visiting the site and studying the document. It is an eye opener and provides a wealth of information on the thinking of the government.

In particular, I was rather shocked to read the minutes of the eighth meeting. It was interesting to see the unfair, but clever, tactics, the eventual winner, the Siemens consortium, used to eliminate the competition, rather than beat them.

The Press Trust of India reports that the Government’s decision to shut down the old Bangalore airport could come under fresh legal scrutiny with a parliamentary panel asking civil aviation ministry to respond to charges of “irregularities” in the concession agreement it has signed with the airport developer.

Quoting records of its hearings with the ministry, Airports Authority of India, its employees and the private Bangalore International Airport Limited, the panel said that the clause relating to the old airport closure was brought into the concession agreement “at a later stage... After a demand was made to this effect by BIAL”.

In its report on the functioning of private airports, the Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture said the concession agreement initially prepared and approved by the Union Cabinet “did not provide for the closure of the Hindustan Aeronautical Limited Airport” in Bangalore.

However, the July 2004 agreement actually signed with BIAL had a clause making it obligatory on the government to notify that the old airport would not be available for commercial civil aviation operations from the date the new greenfield airport became operational, it said.

The Committee, headed by CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, said the AAI Employees Union (AAEU) had quoted the Aircraft Act to point out that an airport could be closed down only if security of the country and safety of aircraft were endangered. “In the given case of the HAL Airport, both these reasons are not present.”

In what is sure to be a shock, to both the BIAL and HIAL consortia, the Deccan Chronicale reports, the parliamentary standing committee on transport, tourism and culture, on Thursday October 23, recommended immediate withdrawal of user development fees (UDF) being charged by Hyderabad and Bengaluru airports.

It said the private operators had invested only Rs 330 crore and Rs 240 crore at Hyderabad and Bangalore respectively to develop the airports. The rest of the amount came from the AAI, state governments and through debt from financial institutions.

Observing that the government’s policy was to make air travel more affordable, the committee said the UDF imposed on passengers “may be withdrawn immediately and no more UDF may be imposed on passengers in any of the airports.”

The committee has also recommended that the HAL airport in Bangalore, and the Begumpet airport in Hyderabad be used for short-haul domestic flights.

The committee, headed by the CPI(M) leader, Mr Sitaram Yechury, said any future greenfield or brownfield airports should be developed with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) having a majority stake in a joint venture.

What impact this recommendation will have on the pending UDF requests of the consortia at Delhi and Mumbai is also to be considered.

An official study by the Airports Authority of India assesses the annual passenger capacity of HAL Airport at 8 million passengers. 6.5 million domestic terminal and 1.5 million international terminal.

This is contrary to popular belief of 3.5 million passengers.

According to Mr. B.R. Sena, General Manager, AAI, Bangalore, the figure of 3.5 million is based on extremely old assessments. AAI has added the international terminal building, and increased the size of the existing domestic departure terminal since then.

On Friday, 20-June-2008, I took a flight out of BIAL airport. As my pictorial essay shows, the hard work, by the stake holders at BIAL, is showing results, in the form of significant improvements.

Getting to the airport
While the distance to the new airport is significant, I have always maintained that connectivity to the airport was not a major problem. I left Koramangala at 08:30am, driving my Hyundai i10. I was at the airport terminal by 09:45am.

Despite maintaining a comfortable pace, I encountered a hair raising experience with a pedestrian running across the highway. The many policeman on the road, were just bystanders, enjoying the life and death drama. I have voiced my concerns about a lack of pedestrian over-bridges in an earlier article (read article), and I am informed that there is on average 1 major accident or death everyday on the NH-7.

Arriving, check-in, and security
I was met at arrival by a very senior official of BIAL. I am deliberately keeping his name confidential, but I extend my thanks to him for all the courtesy.

While he went to the CISF security office to arrange an apron pass for me, I went ahead with check-in. Two of the departure doors were manned. The CISF guard checked my ID card (which CISF in Mumbai did not bother with, on my return leg). The check-in hall was quite empty and there was a small check-in queue. The folks at Kingfisher are very efficient. I did notice, that most airlines logged in to the CUTE terminals, and hence the stations displayed their airline, but did not staff them. I was informed that the morning peak period was over.

Met up with the BIAL official and we proceed up the escalator, and through the security check. CISF have implemented a past suggestion of mine to use 1 DFMD to service two physical check stations. We both expressed exasperation at the CISF insistence on using DFMDs, since there was a 100% physical check and frisk, which renders the DFMD check redundant. But then the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security is not known at the sharpest knife in the already dull bureaucratic block.

Also, all the women's lines were on one side, and there were hardly any women. So while men were waiting, the CISF female lines and guards were sitting idle.

I have suggested to CISF in the past to have a mixed line for the women. i.e. one DFMD serving one female check station and one male station.

The Apron
After leaving my carry-on bag in the BIAL official's office, we went down to the departure baggage make-up area, and it was a hive of activity. It is still is capacity constrained, a weakness in BIAL capacity.

At the tarmac we could see all the vehicles buzzing around. The worst were the old, decrepit tractors of Jet Airways and Indigo. I was informed that these polluting tractors were not permitted inside the baggage area. So they bring the luggage trolleys till the building entrance and then the electric tugs take over. BIAL has imposed a July 31st deadline on removal of these smoke belchers. I can understand, why BIAL is upset at the airlines' insistence on doing their own handling. A lot of duplicated equipment was cluttered all around the tarmac lying mostly unused.

A major reason for week 1 chaos at BIAL
I also discovered one of the main causes of the chaos that plagued the airport during its first week of opening (which I subsequently confirmed through other sources at the airport). Apart from the un-preparedness of Globe Ground (GG) and AI-SATS, a major contributor was India's "largest airline". This airline did not sign-up with any of the ground handlers, and thought they would do it themselves. 24 hours before the airport opened they realised they would be unable to, and pressured one of the ground handling agents to do the handling. Net result, insufficient and untrained staff, major disruptions and heaps of misery on everyone.

The official had to go and welcome Kingfisher's first Airbus A330 VT-VJK (read story)which was arriving. So he escorted me to the elevator and soon I was back in the departure hall.

The Departure Hall
The departure lounge was fairly empty. With seating available. Restaurants and shops were buzzing. The restrooms are small, with acceptable cleanliness.

I chose to look around, and chat up with the airport staff, and ask them their opinions. They all felt that the airport is slowly coming around. It is still not a great place to work in, but significantly better then when it opened. Their daily commute of about 80km was the biggest source of displeasure, despite the free transport provided by their employers.

Most airlines are experiencing a steep drop in regional passenger traffic. Flights to Chennai and Hyderabad, which used to be packed, now carry only about 15~20 passengers. There was a sense of despondency.

The FIDs (Flight Information Displays) still need improvement. They are too small, forcing passengers to get really close to read.

And they are still only in English. No Kannada or Hindi.

Observe the speakers. If you recall, in my visit report before the airport opened, I commented about the microphones at each gate, that would provide localised boarding announcements. Boy, was I wrong. Every little detail of every flight is blared over the speakers. Coupled with the poor acoustics, it is not a pleasant experience. BIAL should force the use of the "local" gate announcements concept.

Many departing passengers took time to grab something to eat. The long trip from town, does make you hungry. The restaurants offers decent food, but other passengers told me that RGIA Hyderabad food was significantly superior.

The incoming flight was about 5 minutes late, and the aerobridge operators took some time to attach, but the Kingfisher staff rushed the Globe Ground staff through their aircraft turn around, and we were boarded and took off on time. A short taxi, and soon we were airborne.

The departure experience was good. Most of the issues have been addressed, corrected, and operations stabilised.

The Return
We landed without any delay. For some reason the aircraft was not exited on a rapid exit, and so we went for a long taxiway tour of the airport.

After parking at a remote bay, despite almost a month since the airport opened, the Globe Ground crew took several attempts to attach the truck mounted ladder. I thought they would have become proficient by now, but obviously they need more experience.

I was informed that airlines preferred remote bays to "contact" (aerobridge) gates, since the aerobridge operators took even longer to attach.

We were brought to the terminal in a combination of Ashok Leyland's version of the Cobus, operated by Globe Ground, and Vayu Vajra Volvos. Due to the layout and regulations of the apron, we had to take the royal tour. This also explains why the bags take about 15 minutes to come.

Baggage Claim
We arrived to see a cleaning machine busy cleaning the floors. The airport looked bright and like a shining jewel against the darkness of the night.

The baggage came within 5 minutes of our arriving at the terminal. Passengers collected their baggage and dispersed within 10 minutes of our arrival in to the terminal. Good show by Globe Ground and Kingfisher.

On the international side, things were not so good. This scene is when only the Singapore Airlines flight has landed. The main crush of European arrivals had not yet arrived. The bags were coming very slowly. Obviously the Customs X-Ray inspection of incoming bags was slowing things down.

After exiting the baggage claim hall, I walked across till the glass divider, and peeked in to the departure hall. Compared to my departure, it was quite full, with all the international passengers waiting to check in.

Exiting the terminal

On exiting the terminal, one is immediately confronted with the familiar line of drivers with the name placards waiting for their guests.

Private taxi drivers lurk like hungry wolves waiting to pounce on arriving passengers en-masse and offer "taxi" services. In the absence of any city police, the BIAL employees were powerless to prevent this predatory and unwelcome practice. I could not find a single policeman at the airport. Only CISF, and their authority stops at the terminal door.

There was a reasonable line of passengers waiting at the departure doors to enter the airport, and many passengers who apparently arrived early took the time to occupy the seating outside the terminal meant for visitors.

Others took to sitting on the concrete pillars and catch-up.

Cars were parked three deep on the drop off lanes, till the parking contractor's van came with its siren blaring forcing them to move.

Vayu Vajra and the Bus stand
I headed out to the Vayu Vajra stand, still being accosted by offers of "taxi service", and the bus stand stood out like a shining beacon. The bustle knocked the picture, my apologies.

An oasis of light in the desert of darkness from the bus stand. The BMTC bus drivers were very helpful, and there is schedule chart. I observed that there is an over abundance of service to Hebbal. Also there are only VV services to Hebbal, Electronics City and Kempegowda bus stand. No economical Suvarna service to these 3 destinations.

I just missed my VV back to Koramangala, and would have to wait another hour for the next service. So I trudged back to the terminal, and linked up with the AirLift folks. It was a slightly long walk to the P1 parking, past the bus stand, but I was soon in a comfy Toyota Innova, one of 50, and zipping back to town.

My fellow passengers were Major Kapoor (now retired and running a team building education service), and Dr. Balaji (an ENT surgeon and now a tele-medicine expert).

During the trip I sought their views. Like me, they both felt that BIAL has improved significantly, including bathrooms. They also felt that Hyderabad RGIA,was far superior to BIAL, in almost all aspects. Unlike RGIA, BIAL shows effects of cost cutting, which according to Major Kapoor makes "BIAL lack the 'feel good' factor of Hyderabad".

Conclusion
Comparisons aside, I am highly impressed by the improvements at BIAL. Without doubt, BIAL terminal is a superior product compared to the AAI terminal at HAL, and a facility Bangalore can be proud of. While there are areas, like ground handling and cargo, which require improvement, all the operations teams at BIAL and stake holders can be rightfully proud of their hard efforts, and its results at the airport.

The total crash in regional traffic is alarming, and it will behoove BIAL to consider operations at HAL, in a larger public interest. The Governments of India and Karnataka, should strongly consider letting BIAL and AAI continue their partnership, and together they can operate the terminal facilties at HAL airport, while letting the hyper-efficient HAL ATC operate the air traffic, giving Bangalore, the best of both worlds.

All images are my copyright. The web album is here.

The high prices of ATF (Aviation Turbine Fuel) have the airlines in India in a tizzy. They are cutting back services, begging for a reduction in fuel taxes, sub-leasing their aircraft, basically, anything, which will help stop their haemorrhaging losses.

Karnataka has one the highest prices of ATF in the country due to its high taxes, and faces pressure for their reduction. The Government of Karnataka has an ace in its sleeve that can help airlines flying in to Bangalore save some money. An ace, they are unaware of -- HAL airport.

Many times, weather conditions, ATC congestion or an airport closure, does not allow a flight to land immediately. International aviation safety rules require a flight to carry enough extra fuel to hover over the destination airport, for a certain amount of time, and then fly on, to an "alternate airport". We have seen flights being diverted from Mumbai to Ahmedabad, Delhi to Jaipur, and Bangalore to Chennai.

These diversions add about 30~45 minutes of flying time, which translates to about 2 tons of fuel for an single aisle jet like the Boeing 737 or Airbus 320. For shorter flights this means the flight carries double the actual fuel required.

In the air, weight equals money. Even if a flight does not go to the alternate airport, it still has to carry the extra fuel and its consequent weight. Weight that could be otherwise utilised for commercial gain like carrying cargo, or savings by not carrying it.

In the rush of closing HAL for commercial flights, the Ministry of Civil Aviation, seems to have overlooked the fact that HAL is still, a fully functioning airport for all non-commercial flights. i.e. private, charters, defence, and has all the needed infrastructure to act as an alternate airport. To top it off, HAL is just 7 minutes flight time from BIAL.

If HAL airport is permitted to act as an "alternate" airport to BIAL, flights can reduce their "alternate airport" fuel requirement. Today, they would be grateful for the savings this will realise.

On Friday, 13 June 2008, I had the privilege of leading a delegation of senior supply chain managers from member companies of the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) on a visit of the two cargo terminals operated by Menzies Aviation Bobba (Bangalore) and Air India Singapore Airport Terminal Services (AI-SATS) at BIAL airport.

The team comprised of senior officers of a veritable "Who is who" of Bangalore industry, and was 360 degrees in sector verticals (Automotive, Biotech, Earth Moving, Electronics, Floriculture, Garments, High Tech, Logistics providers, PCB), as well as geographic locations all around Bangalore.

Hosting us were Mr. Andrew Brant, CEO, and Mr. Kamesh Peri, Director, of Menzies, Mr. Ranjiv Ramanathan of AI-SATS, and Mr. Marcel Hungelbeuhler, COO of BIAL, along with their respective operations teams. They are all competent and committed people.

Compared to my visit of 28-Apr-2008 (read article), the progress made in the last 15 days has been astounding, reflecting the hard efforts of everyone at Menzies, AI-SATS, and BIAL.

Menzies, services the European carriers, Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France, Thai, and Kingfisher, while AI-SATS services Air India, Indian Airlines, Jet, Singapore, Malaysian, Emirates, Etihad amongst others.

While the Menzies terminal is definitely way ahead in terms of preparedness, AI-SATS is making rapid strides in catching up.

After a tour of the two warehouses, the team's assessment was, that AI-SATS, which was forced to commence operations in an unprepared state, should be fully functional in about 6 - 8 weeks, while Menzies-Bobba is almost fully operational.

Compared to the poor conditions at MSIL and JWG terminals at HAL airport, the new cargo terminals are definitely superior, (read article), but they need to improve to global standards.

While new concepts in cargo handling have been brought in, the team, all expert supply chain managers, some handling over 100,00 item inventories, was disappointed by the lack of quality systems and metrics with regards to traceability and handling.

The offered many expert suggestions and critical assessment to Menzies, AI-SATS, and BIAL. The reception of suggestions was encouraging, and we look forward to constantly improving services, in-line with the global reputations of both operators, and BIAL.

BIAL indicated, that they have made facilities for low cost meals that will be helpful for the numerous employees of Customs Agents, Cargo Agents, and transporters. Traffic flow issues were being addressed.

Despite the best efforts of both the cargo terminal operators, it is still taking a minimum of 2 days to clear the cargo. The two big impediments appear to be, operations of Indian Customs authorities and some airlines.

Despite, the commitment of both the Chief Commissioner and Commissioner of Customs, to industry at a meeting in early March, there is still no assessment at BIAL, only at HAL airport. Despite the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) system, Customs demands physical papers, which need to be collected the day following cargo landing, and physically carried across to HAL, assessment carried out, duty paid, and then the papers again carried back to BIAL for customs inspection and release. It is painful, time consuming, and only hurts Bangalore's industry by increased time and costs. The team demanded that Customs live up to their commitments and commence assessment at BIAL immediately.

Certain airlines are not further aggravating the situation by not filing their paperwork electronically. The team requested BIAL to ban these airlines from carrying cargo.

One of the cargo operators was very insistent, on not being clubbed along with the other, in assessments. Unfortunately, the one point the cargo terminal operator missed, was the fact, that the team was the customer of their customers, the airlines. The airlines decide on which terminal operator handles their cargo, not industry. Therefore, the two operators are measured in entirety.

As Theodore Levitt said, “The true business of every company is to make customers, keep customers, and maximize customer profitability”.

The team offered a constant engagement to help Menzies, AI-SATS and BIAL, reach their potential of global standards in service, and ensure industry's profitability and by extension Bangalore's growth. The encouraging response is promising.

The managements, of both, Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL), and, of their partners, have been going hammer and tongs for the last 18 days, correcting problems. Many of the "teething problems" have been addressed, the few others, hopefully, very soon.

However, the passenger terminal building (PTB) is not a "teething issue", and needs to be expanded on a war footing.

I am comparing the PTBs of Singapore's Changi Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA), Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), Hyderabad, and Bengaluru International Airport (BIAL), Bangalore.

The graph below shows a comparison in terms of terminal area and annual passenger capacity.

Airport terminals are becoming larger in terms of area per passenger. Case in point, Singapore Changi, consistently rated as the best airport in the world. Despite an acute shortage of land in tiny Singapore, Changi's new Terminal 3, is considerably bigger than the equally luxurious Terminal 2, despite having a lower rated capacity.

Click on the image to enlarge.

Delving in to the details, some startling truths come forth.

Singapore Changi Terminal 2 and Terminal 3, and Beijing Capital International Terminal 3 (which holds the record as the single largest terminal in the world), have a per daily passenger terminal area, THREE times larger than BIAL.

Even the low featured stripped down Changi Budget Terminal, which serves only the Low Cost Airlines (LCAs), and Hyderbad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, have a passenger-terminal area ratio 33% greater than BIAL.

Is it small wonder, why the BIAL airport terminal appears so crowded from the day it opened ?

Click on the image to enlarge.

A similar shortfall in capacity, when compared to international airports, is evident, in the baggage handling capacity, but that can get addressed during the expansion.

One reads wildly differing figures on BIAL's terminal capacity, annual passenger capacity claims range from 11 million to 15 million. The BIAL official website claims "The current airport infrastructure is designed to handle over 11 million passenger movements annually. Once the final master plan has been achieved, it can accommodate upto 50 million passenger movements annually".

Bangalore achieved 10.12 million passengers in the financial year Apr 2007 - March 2008. With an 11 million annual capacity, BIAL's terminal, allows for less than 10% expansion. In the past 3 years, 2005 - 2008, Bangalore has achieved 250% growth, in passenger traffic. Admittedly, there has been a contraction in the growth rate, due to the high fuel prices, and loss of passengers on the short haul flights to rail and road, but a 10% increase in passenger traffic is expected in the next 12 months.

The chart below shows the passenger traffic over the last 2 years at Bangalore.

Click on the image to enlarge.

Using the data from the financial year Apr 2007-March 2008, I extrapolated the average number of passengers per domestic flight. As per BIAL, the maximum number of passengers per hour it can handle is 2,733. We also know, during peak hours, the maximum number of flights per hour is 30.

Modelling the peak hour traffic, at 30 domestic flights per hour, using last year's average passengers per flight, and BIAL terminal's peak capacity of 2,733 passengers, a startling figure emerges.

Click on the image to enlarge.

BIAL will be at 90% and above capacity for 11 of the 12 months in the year, and at 95% for the year as a whole. For 4 months, BIAL terminal is close to 100% of capacity.

Running so close to capacity will work only if the situation runs perfectly like a Swiss watch, and we know that is not the case in India. It also does not allow for any any future expansion, a situation, that is equally unpalatable to BIAL as it is to many of us.

I am sure, the BIAL consortium wants an airport that promotes Bangalore's progress, not impede it.

The expansion of the Passenger Terminal Building has to be taken up on a war footing.

All the images are my copyright.

The BIAL management has sent out this e-mail earlier today, confirming the launch of operations of the new Bengaluru International Airport, later tonight.

Congratulations to the entire BIAL team, and welcome to Bangalore.
----------------------------------------------------
Friday, May 23, 2008 1:21 PM

Subject: New Date: Commencement of Commercial Operations at new Bangalore International Airport

Dear All,

This is to inform that Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) has received a notification from the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on the above subject. According to the notification, “the Central Government hereby notifies that the Bangalore International Airport at Devanahalli would be commissioned w.e.f. 00.01 hours local time of 24th May, 2008, instead of w.e.f. 00.01 hours of 23rd May 2008 as notified earlier”.

We herewith officially confirm to all partners operating from New Bangalore International Airport (BIAL), Bangalore India:

1. New Bangalore International Airport will be operational from May 24, 2008
2. All flights scheduled to depart after 00:01 hours (local time) of May 24, 2008 will operate from the new Bangalore International Airport.
3. All flights that have a departure after 00:01 hours (local time) of May 24, 2008 from BIAL are accepted for landing at the new Bangalore International Airport on May 23, 2008
4. All flights that have a departure until 23:59 hours (local time) of May 23, 2008 will be operated from HAL airport (Current airport)

We thank you for your understanding and support and look forward to a mutually beneficial cooperation in future.

With best regards,

Marcel Hungerbuehler
____________________________
Chief Operation Officer

----------------------------------------------------
An update for international passengers.

All flights departing Bangalore before 23:59 23/May will depart from HAL airport. These are EK517, TG328, and SQ503. Passengers are advised to check with their airlines.

In fact SQ503 will be the last international departure from HAL airport.

May 22, 2008
Bangalore Journal
An Indian Airport Hurries to Make the First Flight
By SOMINI SENGUPTA

BANGALORE, India — For years, frequent fliers in this technology hub complained bitterly about having to suffer the indignities of a tattered and tiny airport scrunched in the middle of a busy city neighborhood.

Now, with a new one opening on Saturday, people are clamoring once more. This time, to keep the old airport open.

The reversal does not reflect a sudden bout of nostalgia, but rather the fear that the new airport, no matter how modern it was intended to be, seems destined to be the latest repository of India’s astonishing inability to plan for its future and fix its sagging infrastructure.

The way things stand now, the trip to the new airport, 21 miles outside town, will easily take 90 minutes from the city center, and even longer from the software companies that have turned Bangalore, also known as Bengaluru, into India’s own Silicon Valley.

India’s famously sluggish bureaucracy has meant that workers are only now scrambling to finish widening the main road to the new airport. The city water supply has yet to reach the area, making it impossible to begin construction on the shops and office towers that are supposed to sprout around the airport. Even though airport officials were ready to open on schedule, in March, air traffic controllers said they needed more time to train. Late Wednesday, airport officials said they had been told by the government to postpone the opening by one day, to Saturday.

Bangalore has company in its misery. Attempts to revamp roads and ports have run into chaos all over India, not least because the actual growth of this bustling nation of more than a billion people consistently outstrips even the most perspicacious planner’s vision for it.

Traffic was backed up the day a new highway toll plaza linking New Delhi to its new satellite boomtown, Gurgaon, opened this year because planners far underestimated growth in traffic.

A high-speed bus route in the heart of Delhi was lambasted recently for pinching into car lanes, and no one, including the cows, seemed quite sure of which lane to use anyway. Several other major projects are behind schedule and mired in graft, including a new national highway.

The hullabaloo over the new airport is only the latest parable of India’s growth. That tale begins with the government’s decision to sign a deal with a private consortium to build the airport, agreeing to close the old state-run one, and effectively giving the new one a monopoly.

Generous as it was to the developers, it apparently failed to account for the Indian zeal to fly. Air traffic in and out of Bangalore has more than doubled since construction began three years ago, compelling the developer to amend the design of the airport.

Built on 4,000 acres and modeled after the airport in Zurich, whose developers are working on this project, the new airport now promises to accommodate 11 million passengers in its first year.

Still, most road and rail links that the government had promised to build to the airport have been delayed or scrapped, in part because lawsuits over acquiring the land and in part because they involve 32 government agencies.

Adding to the confusion, the state has been in the grip of political squabbling for many months.

Today, with air traffic likely to keep growing, an influential civic lobby is pushing for both airports to operate. Bangalore City Connect, a private industry-financed group that advocates for better urban infrastructure, said failing to plan for future growth would only add to Bangalore’s woes.

Albert Brunner, chief executive of the new airport, declined to comment on the appeal to keep the old one open, except to point out that the new one has plenty of room to grow. “It is our goal to always provide an infrastructure which is sufficient for or even ahead of the demand,” he said in an e-mail message.

The government official responsible for transportation to the airport said “future-proofing” had been complicated by the city’s “unforeseen” growth.

“We have been developing infrastructure all along,” argued V. P. Baligar, principal secretary for commerce and industries for Karnataka state, of which Bangalore is the capital. “The growth of the population has been faster.”

One lawsuit holding up the expressway project concerns D. M. Dwarkanath, a retired executive of a state-owned company. He risks losing his small bungalow to make way for the route. A hospice for children with AIDS is also threatened.

Such cases have sown deep resentment among many people here, who wonder: Why do people have to make way for India’s frequent-flying classes, which are still relatively small?

“It is only for the rich people,” Mr. Dwarkanath said fuming. “They don’t have patience. They want to rush to the airplane. They want to sweep everyone out of the way. Why should we live? Sweep us into the sea!”

They further contend that the path of the proposed expressway has been amended to spare the properties of politically connected people, a charge Mr. Baligar denies. He says the national highway authority will decide who must make way for the highway.

While the lawsuits crawl through the courts and bureaucrats pass files from one agency to the next, patience wears thin on Victoria Road in Bangalore. On a recent weekday morning, laborers carried stones on their heads, repairing a storm drain and backing up the morning traffic along two narrow lanes.

M. N. Badrinath, a salesman who spends three to four hours a day on the road, was skeptical. By the time repairs on this road are finished, he surmised, there will be even more cars. “The promises are like castles in the air,” he said, as he tried to sneak through a police line and into the traffic. “Are they planning for the future or for the present?”

An auto-rickshaw driver, Chand Pasha, said as he waited for a green signal: “My life is in traffic. It cannot get more miserable than this.” The misery of Bangalore’s roads has brought an unexpected boon to G. R. Gopinath, whose low-cost airline, Deccan, expanded the ranks of India’s fliers.

Mr. Gopinath is in favor of keeping the old airport open. Even so, starting Saturday he will offer a helicopter shuttle for commuters. It will cost about $100 and take 10 minutes.

Source : The New York Times

The government has finally set the opening for the new Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) for the night of May 23rd, early morning of May 24th, 2008.

The Civil Aviation ministry today has requested BIAL the promoters of the new Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) to delay the launch of the airport to end May.

Most likely it will be May 29, 2008.

I offer my sincerest sympathies to the entire team at BIAL and its concessionaires. They have put in hard work to bring the project to fruition, and their efforts are getting compromised by the politics of elections, and the need of the Government to have a public display of their "achievements".

I also understand that the meeting was very positive on another topic of great interest to me. The continuation of operations at the existing HAL airport in parallel with BIA.

The meeting explored many options, and I was told by sources that the BIAL representatives came to the meeting with a positive attitude.

I have explained in my previous article the merits of keeping HAL airport open, along with the benefits for BIAL as a company.

There is another meeting scheduled for May 12, and I hope BIAL continues this positive attitude and accepts a deal that will keep all sides happy.

Some readers of my blog have commented that my stand for keeping HAL airport in addition to Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) is not clearly articulated. So here goes.

Thanks to the economic boom in India, the liberalisation of the aviation industry, and the efforts of the low cost carriers, who incidentally lead the global surge in aviation growth, Bangalore air traffic has exploded; to a growth level just not anticipated, let alone planned for.

In the 36 month period that BIA was being constructed, traffic has grown 255% from 4.1 million passengers per annum (MPPA) to almost 10.5 MPPA. With all due respect to the capabilities of the BIAL consortium, I dare say, there is no infrastructure project in the world, that can plan for, let alone handle this level of growth.


From terminal to airplane stands to runway to airspace, an airport is a finely tuned integration of capacity points, and the old adage of a chain being as strong as its weakest link holds true. As all airports in India have shown us, the flexibility of human beings allows terminal capacity to exceed 100%. Also, the terminal design at BIA is modular, and I believe BIAL management claims, that it can be easily expanded. However, I must temper my belief, with the fact, that BIAL management has chosen not to expand the present terminal in 2007, despite seeing the explosive growth trends.

What cannot be easily exceeded is apron, runway, and airspace capacity, for the cold hard rules of air safety dictate these operate at or below 100%, and the laws of physics determine long construction times. While BIA's terminal is a huge improvement over the AAI owned and operated terminal at HAL airport, BIA still has, only ONE runway, just like HAL airport.

Under the safety rules of the DGCA, the runway can only handle 30 flights an hour (take-off or landing). It does not matter that the plane is a mega people moving Jumbo jet or a small commuter turbo-prop like an ATR or a cargo aircraft. Unlike vehicles on a road at rush hour, you cannot stop a plane in mid-air due to a traffic jam. Each flight has to be given a pre-determined flight slot.

As per BIAL's own data, on its opening date, BIA's single runway, is already "fully booked" during the peak travel hours from 6AM - 10AM and from 6PM to 8PM. In fact the 6am-7am and 6pm-7pm hours are "over-booked", and we are still in the Summer schedule which is a lean time for air travel all over India. Where will the additional demand that will come in the peak Winter season be accomodated ?


Future growth can only come by domestic flights during non peak hours and international flights later in the night. We use air travel for convenience, and I do not know many people willing to take a flight at non peak hours.

BIAL has independently contracted Lufthansa Consulting (LHC) on two occasions to project air traffic in Bangalore before commencing construction. Thanks to their conservative projections, Bangalore has crossed, BIAL's "Optimistic" figures for the year 2010, 3 years ahead in 2007 and the gap is only widening with each passing day. Many seasoned industry watchers believe the BIAL projections continue to be excessively conservative, and their projection of 21.4 million passengers by 2013 is unrealistically low.

Using the real life example of India's best and largest airport, in terms of flight operations, Mumbai, the very best that BIA can achieve with its one runway is 15 million passengers. This figure of 15 million is discounting two fundamental assumptions :

1. Mumbai's high number of international flights which use large aircraft (more passengers per flight), when compared to Bangalore, and
2. The high efficiency of the highly experienced of the air traffic controllers at Mumbai, compared to the fresh recruits at BIA.

The association of air transporters (airlines), IATA, held meeting with the operators of BIA, the BIAL consortium. BIAL projected traffic of 15.6 million passengers by March 2010. The 15 million capacity of the single runway will be exceeded by calendar 2009 (18-21 months from opening). Constructing a new runway will take significantly longer.

This too is uncertain, as the IAF's Yelahanka base is very close to BIA, and the IAF authorities have voiced their concern, despite "instructions" from New Delhi.

Even if the second runway is constructed the capacity of BIA will increase to 30 million passengers. Given Bangalore's meteoric growth, this number will be reached by March 2015, less than 8 years after opening. Even using BIAL's ultra-conservative projections, this will be crossed by end 2016, 9.5 years after opening.


Airspace at BIA is constrained to 40% of what HAL used to enjoy. I am not going to touch upon the restricted airspace of BIA. It is a technical subject, but if you are inclined please read my article on the REAL capacity of BIA.


In addition to congestion in the air, an exclusive BIAL also forces congestion on the ground. The Government of Karnataka is on a fire-fighting mission, spending more than Rs. 1,500 Cr., to develop peripheral roads to BIAL. Despite this development, the BBMP, is spending vast sums of money, to increase the road from High Grounds in central Bangalore till Hebbal flyover, in a clear indication that this is where most of the traffic will flow. The Operations Research Society of India, is projecting a 200% increase in traffic in central Bangalore. Keeping HAL open, will split the traffic and prevent congestion.

Airlines have indicated their willingness to operate from both airports, as along as there is adequate traffic permitted at HAL airport i.e. 2.5 million passengers and higher.

By keeping HAL open in parallel, will allow BIA and Bangaloreans multiple benefits :

1. Extend the saturation date of BIA by another 4 years, possibly more
2. Shift smaller turbo-prop aircraft to HAL, thus opening the slots to more valuable larger jets
3. Improve productivity by cutting down commute times
4. Product differentiation by using HAL as a low cost low amenities airport.
5. Still gives BIA over 210% of its original traffic projections.
   

There are precedents all over the world that justifies Bangalore as a multi-airport city. Cities like Atlanta who have a very high percentage of transit traffic, need a large single airport, to justify the transit connectivity. However cities like Bangalore which have large originating / terminating traffic, have multiple smaller size airports.

The world's busiest airspace, New York City, has 3 major airports, which started when there were only 4 million passengers, and have grown TOGETHER to serve 100 million.

Brazil is clubbed along with India in the BRIC economic group. Its major cities like Sao Paulo and Rio have a situation very similar to Bangalore. An in-city, small, domestic only, airport operating in parallel to a large, out-city, domestic and international, airport. In all the Brazilian cities, both the airports are operating as commercial successes.


A commercial venture has to operate in harmony with the community it serves. The past episode of Enron, taught us, that a commercial agreement which impedes rather than promotes its original purpose of serving the public interest, will cause the opposition and resentment from the very public it was meant to serve.

Given the fact, that even with HAL airport open, air traffic will saturate within the next 15 years, we have to start thinking of a third airport, instead of debating about the first two.

Due to the contrarian views I put forth, readers of my blog may get the impression that I am Anti-BIAL.

Nothing can be further from the truth. I am NOT against Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) at all. BIA is a required addition to Bangalore, and I have always admired the efforts put in by the whole team at the BIAL consortium, and their contractors, and have always congratulated BIAL CEO Mr. Brunner, on a job well done.

My main point of contention is only around the airport capacity in Bangalore, and the high fee structure.

Thanks to years of neglect by the Government Aviation fraternity, Bangalore's air traffic and economy has been suppressed. No one, me included, have anticipated the rate of growth, let alone plan for it. Since 2004, I have prepared regular reports for the some of the Industry Chambers on the air traffic scenario, and I am happy to say, each one of my projections has been surpassed by actual performance.

I have given praise to BIAL and I am critical of BIAL, when required. There are many realities that are not exposed in the everyday media.

Less than 20% of an airport is the passenger terminal(s). 80% is in other facilities, services, and an airport's role in the local economy. I think most people are getting enamoured by the terminal and forgetting the rest.

Thanks to my passion for aviation, and having travelled the better part of my life, across global airports, the great to the ugly, and I have studied airports.

I welcome BIAL, but not exclusively.

For too long Bangalore and its residents have endured infrastructure playing catch-up with demand. To ensure, that Bangalore, at least in this one instance, is ahead of the demand curve, I feel HAL is required to operate in additional to BIAL. My optimism for Bangalore is so strong, that I strongly recommend to Government that we need to be planning our third airport, instead of debating about the first and second.

The management of AAI Bangalore, and HAL, know how relentless I have been in pushing them to provide better services and achieve more results for Bangalore. I have sat up for nights on end observing the processes, and along with highly qualified colleagues from industry, proposed processes to ensure good service. Its a pity that the apathy of headquarters politics and bureaucracy of various agencies involved at the airport quashed the push.

Bangalore epitomises the new India, PM Manmohan Singh is rumoured to have said "If Bangalore fails, India fails". We have to set and expect significantly higher standard, especially from a world class organisation like Zurich Airport. I honestly believe that the BIAL team is very capable, and I look forward to more from them, in the years to come.

If you consider the cost of land, connectivity, and scrapping of various existing infrastructure, the BIA is going to cost the Bangalore and Indian tax payer at least 15,000 Crore, if not more. We should demand and get our money's worth.

In the new resurgent India, we are finally attempting to jettison the yoke of monopolies, and getting ready to welcome the Competition Commission. In the changed economic environment, BIAL will still earn its investment many times over, even with HAL airport operating alongside.

I welcome comments on my blog. With pride I can say, as long as there is no offensive language, I will post any comment, no matter how positive or negative, of my views, it is.

Depending on which stake holder of the the Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) consortium you listen to, the capacity of the new BIA airport is 9 million passengers (as per Airports Authority of India) to 12 million passengers (Mr. Albert Brunner).

However, no one has claimed a capacity of over 12 million passengers. At best, we are informed, that the terminal has a modular design and can be expanded as and when required.

We know from news reports, and BIAL's own reports, that 448 flights per day are planned for the summer schedule (effective March 31, 2008), up from the current 320~330 flights at the HAL airport. This represents a growth of 35.75% on airport opening day. We also know from current AAI records that the 330 flights per day at HAL airport is resulting in 10.5 million passengers per year. Simple extrapolation shows that the 448 flights will result in 14.25 million passengers from the airport opening day itself.

So my question to Mr. Brunner and all the stakeholders of BIAL (Siemens, L&T, Zurich Airport, AAI and KSIIDC) is where do you plan to put the additional 2.25 million passengers ? Surely BIAL does not have any means of expanding a terminal overnight.

"At London Heathrow Terminal 5 we’ve created a natural, logical journey that’s so calm, you’ll flow through. It should only take ten minutes to get from check-in to departures"

This is the promise British Airways makes about the new super large, super luxurious, $8.6 billion Terminal 5 or T5, at London Heathrow airport. Capable of handling 30 million passengers, this ONE uber-terminal, is 13.76 times bigger than our entire BIAL or RGIA airport in financial outlay.

The reality on opening day ...... 20% flights cancelled, thousands of passengers stranded without baggage, check-in queues so long that check-in itself was suspended and passengers told to either check-in without baggage, or go home or a hotel. The reason offered by British Airways .... "staff familiarisation problems" which lead to a total collapse of the baggage, security, and check-in systems.

At the same time, across the world, right here at Bangalore HAL airport, while a Kingfisher ATR plane is taking off, a dog runs across the runway and crashes in to the aircraft. The impact breaks the nose wheel of the aircraft which skids and blocks the runway. The result, is a 4 hour shut down of the airport with scores of flights diverted to alternate airports. The resultant disruption heaps misery on all stake holders from passengers to employees to cargo.

This form of systemic collapse has occurred before. When Chep Lap Kok, Hong Kong's state of the airport opened, the entire freight terminal collapsed for a period of 2 weeks. The economic impact was felt all the way around the world, with prices of electronic goods and Pentium processors shooting up 500%. Airport closures due to runway disruption have been experienced, not just at Bangalore HAL, but also at India's mega airports, Mumbai and Delhi, and very recently, at London Heathrow airport.

Both incidences highlight, that despite the best planning, best capabilities, and best intentions, things can, and do go wrong. Given the critical nature and role of airports today, it is crucial to have backup systems.

Terminal 5 at Heathrow, may not have any backup options, but in the case of Bangalore, we have the option of keeping HAL airport open instead of closing it down.