The Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) will convert a domestic wing at Terminal 3 (T3) to handle international flights due to rising overseas passenger traffic, airport sources have said. After the conversion, T3 will have three international piers and one domestic pier.
Terminals 1 and 2 will continue to handle only domestic flights, while Terminal 3 will remain the sole international terminal there.
Sources said DIAL plans to add Pier E at T3 with a capacity to handle one crore passengers by the middle of next year.
Until Pier E is ready, domestic passenger movement at T3 is expected to remain under strain.
T3 is currently the only terminal at Delhi airport handling international flights. The terminal has an annual capacity of 6.5 crore passengers, including 2 crore international and 4.5 crore domestic passengers.
Last year, T3 handled over 2.1 crore international passengers, exceeding its international capacity.
After the conversion, T3's international capacity will rise by about one crore passengers, while the domestic capacity will reduce by the same number.
The most domestic-to-international and international-to-domestic transfer passengers will have to use bus services with their baggage for at least the next three years.
The move follows a significant expansion of international operations by Air India Group and IndiGo.
The Air India Group airlines, operated entirely from T3, had shifted part of their domestic flights to other terminals since October 26. This reshuffle came into context due to expansion work at Terminal 3 aimed at boosting international passenger capacity.
IndiGo, AI and AIX have placed growing aircraft orders too, which means more space needed for these flights.
Limited relief may be available for transit passengers flying with the same airline or airline group, where baggage transfer could be handled airside.
Terminal 2, which handles only domestic flights, will manage about 1.5 crore passengers annually for the next two to four years.
