New Delhi: A 48-metre shortcut created for international arrivals to head from immigration to baggage carousels without walking through much of the dutyfree area could be costing Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) and stakeholders an annual loss of over Rs 230 crore. Moreover, a clampdown on dutyfree mobile carts and food delivery within the airport by eateries inside could cost them another Rs 114 crore.DIAL has requested the Union aviation ministry and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) to reconsider these decisions on the grounds that a fall in non-aeronautical revenue of collectively over Rs 344 crore per annum will increase the revenue requirements from the aeronautical side. The latter is recovered through a mix of landing parking charges, based on which airlines determine airfares and user development fee (UDF), paid directly by flyers.Govt sources said they are aware of these issues and are trying to sort them out in a way that takes care of security requirements without necessitating a hike in required aero collection that could further burden flyers.At the core of DIAL-BCAS tussle are three issues:Arrival dutyfree layout:After clearing immigration, international arrivals walk through the dutyfree area, either for planned or impulse shopping. At IGIA, DIAL has pointed out to govt that earlier, the layout at T3 approved by BCAS involved a 70-metre walk through dutyfree to the carousels. “This location is not part of the security hold area and poses no security concern,” DIAL has told the ministry.“BCAS directed DIAL to have an alternate straight exit route (after immigration) to arrival. The shorter route is 22 metres long and only 48 metres shorter than the original route. But it bypasses 90% of the dutyfree area, hugely impacting DIAL revenue. These has been no such intervention by BCAS at other metro airports in India,” said a source.The airport operator has estimated annual loss in revenue to the tune of Rs 50 crore to the dutyfree concessionaire; Rs 48 crore to itself; Rs 22 crore to Airports Authority of India (revenue share) and Rs 14 crore to passengers, which was the cross-subsidy to aero charges. “Govt encourages non-aero revenue like dutyfree to cross-subsidise passenger charges by 30%,” DIAL has told the ministry.Food delivery at gates:The operator has requested the aviation ministry to allow it to resume food delivery at boarding gates. Passengers could order from eateries within the airport and the same was delivered to them at the gates. The practice was stopped in Aug 2023 following a directive from BCAS.“Food delivery used to take place beyond the security hold area by staff already working at the eateries with valid airport entry passes. There was no security or safety concern. This is a common practice at many airports in India and abroad. Its stoppage has inconvenienced passengers and is causing huge revenue loss,” DIAL has told govt.The Air Travellers Association has requested DIAL to resume the service and the operator has, in turn, sought nod from the ministry and BCAS.India’s busiest airport used to get about 3,000 daily orders and taking an average of Rs 400, the daily turnover was Rs 12 lakh. DIAL has estimated an annual loss of about Rs 74 crore — Rs 55 crore for the concessionaire; Rs 11 crore for DIAL; Rs 5 crore to AAI and Rs 3 crore cross-subsidy for passengers.Duty free mobile carts:DIAL had two dutyfree mobile carts at international side boarding gates, which have been removed on BCAS directive.“These carts were placed at pre-designated locations only during departure time for international flights,” DIAL has told the ministry. It has estimated the loss in revenue due to their removal at about Rs 39 crore annually — Rs 25 crore to the concessionaire; Rs 8 crore to DIAL; Rs 4 crore to AAI and Rs 2 crore cross-subsidy to passengers.
