Delhi Bazaar at IGI’s new Terminal 1D

The Indhira Gandhi International airport’s new terminal 1D is all set to offer the passengers the experience of shopping at the Delhi Bazaar. This coming April, the new terminal will be in its implementation stage.

Retail in the terminal 1D will be inclusive of a range of Indian souvenirs and destination merchandise, besides accessories and clothing. There will be four or five casual dining units, two coffee outlets, and a fine dining room according to the airport operator Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL).

Strong focus on Indian fast food will be given, consequential of the report from the consumer research team according to which the Indian fast foods will prove to be successful.

Andrew Harrison, Chief Operating Officer, DIAL, said: “We have received very good response from retailers from all over the world… shopping experience at the new terminal is all set to enhance passenger experience”

“We plan to offer passengers the experience of a Delhi bazaar, with a lively, close-knit and colorful shopping space.“ he added.

Some seven bronze color Lotus canopies will be bunched together so as to bring in a ‘market feel’ to the passengers. An airport official said, “We expect a big rise in spending per passenger with the opening of terminal 1D next month. The concept is in line with the Mumbai airport.”

Dial spokesperson Arun Arora said passengers traveling on longer routes spend a lot of time at the airport, and the outlets would aim to attract them. “We also have plans for duty-based retail outlets at the new terminal’s waiting lounge,” he said.

“The plan is to give a unique shopping experience to passengers, who end up waiting several hours, at times after checking in.” he added.

The aviation experts say that once the airport is upgraded it will be listed well above in the ranks of airports for customer satisfaction at least before the Commonwealth games next year.  In its survey of 105 international airports, the international body Airports Council International (ACI) has put IGI at rank 98 in terms of customer satisfaction.

Gurcharan Bhatura, an aviation expert and director-general of the Foundation for Aviation and Sustainable Tourism, said, “If each passenger finds things of her/his need at the new terminal, it will add further value to the survey and push up satisfaction levels, like it did for the new Hyderabad airport.”

According to Bhatura one of the important aspects of the airport is its capacity and this time the passengers will be more comfortable with the airports since the capacity is also upgraded.