GA Wishlist: Pit Stops And More

Business jet operators clearly want smaller airports to stay open longer and be better equipped in terms of refuelling facilities and parking bays. But are we ready?

- Nidhi Sharma

Shirdi. The airport is barely a year old – it started only in October 2017 – but within these few months it has topped the popularity lists of HNW (High Net Worth) individuals and celebrities who fly in and out of the pilgrimage town. Records from the Maharashtra Airport Development Corporation (MADC) point out that the number of chartered planes landing at Shirdi had increased since March. According to official data, of the total 126 chartered planes that flew in and out of Shirdi in the last seven months, 46 percent were used in March and April 2018 alone.

Fortunately, Shirdi continues to attract Saibaba's wealthy devotees in hordes — despite a major problem. The airport does not have refuelling facilities. So, a private jet flying to Shirdi has to go to Hyderabad for fuel, leading to an increase in operational costs. “We cannot refuel our aircraft in Shirdi and have to fly back to the nearest airport to refuel and fly back to Shirdi for the return flight,” said Kanika Tekriwal, Founder of JetSetGo, an online marketplace for private jets and helicopters. This despite the fact that refuelling at airports like Mumbai and Hyderabad takes more than the stipulated time. “One of the strongest point is that India has an excellent infrastructure in place, however, not enough is being done to utilise it. Jaisalmer airport, for example, has a ₹200 crore terminal, which cannot be utilised,” Tekriwal said.

A JetSetGo study of 36 airports, including Delhi and Mumbai, shows that the smaller ones are constrained by various factors: they work shorter hours, don’t have enough parking space and lack refuelling facilities. While 28 percent have limited hours of operation, 14 percent do not have adequate parking and 8 percent cannot refuel planes.