Kempegowda International Airport has become the first airport in South Asia to implement the point merge system, an air-navigation procedure designed to help air traffic controllers sequence arriving aircraft more efficiently and reduce unnecessary airborne delays.
An Akasa Air flight from Mumbai to Bengaluru, QP 1129, became the first flight to use the system on Wednesday, according to information reported by The Times of India. The initiative has been introduced by the Airports Authority of India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
The point merge system allows inbound aircraft to fly along published sequencing legs before being directed by air traffic control to a designated merge point when adequate spacing is available. From there, aircraft can proceed towards the final approach in a more structured sequence.
The system is currently operational at 59 airports across 23 countries. At Bengaluru, trials are expected to continue for three months before a wider rollout, according to the report. Bengaluru International Airport Ltd, the operator of Kempegowda International Airport, did not comment on the implementation.
Akasa Air described the system on X as a way to make arrivals more predictable, reduce unnecessary flying time and communication, and potentially lower fuel consumption and emissions. The airline said the initiative would help aircraft move through the skies in a smoother and more organised way.
Pilots quoted in the report said the system could reduce reliance on individual controller vectoring techniques, in which aircraft are given repeated heading and speed instructions to maintain separation. A more standardised sequence could reduce radio communication workload for both pilots and air traffic controllers, while making arrival spacing more consistent.
The system may also support more efficient descent profiles, including continuous descent operations, according to pilots cited in the report. Such operations can reduce level-offs and airborne holding, while lowering fuel burn and engine operating time. The reported benefits would be most significant when applied across a large number of daily arrivals.
Pilots also said the system could make it easier for controllers to accommodate priority or emergency aircraft by reducing radio-telephone congestion and workload. They noted that aircraft approaching through broadly similar directions may also experience less disruption from wind-related sequencing effects, although operational outcomes will depend on implementation and local conditions.
For airlines, the reported benefits extend beyond shorter flight paths. More predictable sequencing, reduced vectoring, fewer airborne delays and improved opportunities for continuous descent could support more consistent arrival operations and lower direct operating costs.
The three-month trial will determine how the procedure performs at Bengaluru before any broader rollout. Further details on the system’s operational results, including changes in holding times, fuel consumption or arrival efficiency, were not provided in the report.
