Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is undergoing renovation and expansions are in pipeline. But it seems that is not enough for it to host the world's largest passenger aircraft - the Airbus A380. International airline operators claim that the airport will need a large scale upgradation to accommodate the Airbus. The General Manager (India) of Singapore Airlines David Lau said, "We have enough traffic as we operate four direct flights in a week to and from Ahmedabad. Putting an Airbus A380 on this route would be great help. But airport is not equipped for the large airbus. The size of the runway is very small and not convenient for the airbus to maneuver."
Airbus 380 is not only the largest but also a double-deck passenger aircraft with a capacity of over 800 passengers at a time. It is a four-engine aircraft. "An A380 has very large wingspan and engines are lower in comparison to other aircrafts, there is a possibility that they may scrape the ground. So, a lot of modification is required at the airport before it can be ready to welcome a A380," added Lau. Ahmedabad airport has two international airlines that own and operate A380. Singapore Airlines is one, the other is Emirates.
A statement from the Emirates stated, "Deploying an A380 is dependent on factors such as demand from the market, approvals from the authorities and capability of the airport to handle the aircraft. India is a key market for Emirates and we are keen on deploying an A380 here. But right now the infrastructure at most Indian airports are not A380-friendly."
Singapore Airlines operates A380 at Mumbai and Delhi airport and find Bangalore airport has the infrastructure to host the airbus. Ahmedabad Airport Director AK Sharma said, "To accommodate aircraft like A380, we have to receive proposals from airlines. Only then can we initiate a feasibility study. The airport will need a large-scale upgradation including using a 3G network. Currently, we work using a 2G network."
Source: http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com
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