Aerobridges are financially unviable for regional airports

Amber Dubey, Partner and Head of Aerospace and Defence, KPMG India, shares his views on issues related to aerobridge usage in India.

Despite their advantages, aerobridges are not in wide use in Indian airports. What are the reasons?
Installation and maintenance of aerobridges require significant capital investment by the airport operator. Most of the regional airports in India have low traffic numbers, making the investment on aerobridges financially unviable. For airports with aerobridges already in place, the reasons are varied. Most aerobridges restrict passenger movement to one aircraft door which slows down the aircraft turnaround. Hence some airlines feel ferry buses lead to quicker aircraft turnaround and better on-time performance. Further, the use of aerobridges requires a relatively longer taxiing which consumes time and fuel, unlike aircraft parked in remote bays. Many airports charge a high rental for the usage of aerobridges, which pinches the airlines, especially those in the LCC (Low Cost Carrier) segment. Since there are risks of not getting an aerobridge at all times due to late arrival of aircraft or technical problems, most airlines need to keep a backup fleet of ferry buses and drivers. This adds to the capital cost of the airlines. Aerobridges also take up a lot of space – both on the airside and in the terminal. In constrained airports, ferry buses are preferred since many more departure and arrival gates can be operated within the same space.

What are the charges levied on the airlines for using aerobridges in India?
The charges for aerobridges vary across airports and are usually chargeable based on duration and aircraft size. Charges may differ between domestic and international flights. The airport operator may also give discounts to certain airlines based on the volume of traffic or other strategic considerations.

Are there any laid-down rules with regard to purchase and operation of aerobridges in India?
Aerobridge purchases are primarily undertaken through a tendering process where the airport operator lays down the specifications based on the requirements of the airport. With regard to operation of aerobridges, the standard operating procedures are laid down by the IATA Airport Handling Manual and other global and local regulatory authorities. Aerobridges, like any other critical airport infrastructure, have to conform to laid-down standards, violation of which can have severe consequences for the airport operator and suppliers. Accidents with aerobridge operations have caused costly damages to aircraft and passengers in the past.

What measures should be taken for a wider and safer use of aerobridges in Indian airports?
Skilling and training of the aerobridge operator would lead to safer aerobridge operations. Wider usage of aerobridges would require optimisation of the aerobridge operations and lower rentals. Given the massive rise in air traffic expected in India over the next 2-3 years, the focus will be on lower ground time and faster turnaround of aircraft. In such a scenario, ferry buses may be a preferred option especially for the Low Cost Carrier segment.