Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru has received approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to begin mixed-mode runway operations, a move expected to increase the airport’s approved flight-handling capacity from 60 movements an hour to as many as 80-85, according to a report by Vijay Karnataka.
Under the mixed-mode system, the same runway can be used for both aircraft arrivals and departures, subject to safety requirements, air traffic conditions and clearances from air traffic control. KIA will become the second airport in India to adopt the system after Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, the report said.
Bengaluru International Airport Limited had submitted the proposal for mixed-mode runway operations, which has now received DGCA approval. The system is expected to begin shortly, although the report does not specify a formal start date.
KIA currently operates its two parallel runways separately, with one generally used for arrivals and the other for departures. The mixed-mode arrangement will allow aircraft to land and take off through the same runway in a coordinated sequence. The report said this could raise the airport’s approved capacity from 60 aircraft movements per hour to between 80 and 85, depending on traffic demand, operating schedules and weather conditions.
The airport’s present hourly arrangement allows about 30 arrivals and 30 departures. With the new system, daily flight operations could exceed 1,500, the report said. The expected increase in runway utilisation is described as approximately 42 per cent, with potential savings in aircraft fuel and passenger time as aircraft spend less time waiting for take-off or landing slots.
DGCA has instructed that mixed-mode operations must be conducted with due regard to safety, traffic conditions and air traffic control permissions, according to the report. The approval does not mean that every runway movement will automatically operate at the maximum projected level; actual capacity will depend on operational conditions and the clearances available at the time.
The change comes as Bengaluru’s airport continues to expand its terminal and airside infrastructure. The airport operator is also planning supporting improvements, including additional taxiways, more aircraft parking bays, expansion of Terminal 2 and a new air traffic control tower. These facilities will be important to handling the increased runway movements, since runway capacity alone does not determine how many flights an airport can process.
For passengers, the proposed arrangement is expected to reduce waiting time for aircraft arrivals and departures. For airlines, more efficient runway sequencing could reduce holding time and fuel consumption. The operational impact will ultimately depend on how the mixed-mode system is integrated with taxiways, parking stands, terminals and air traffic management.
DGCA’s approval clears the regulatory stage for the proposed arrangement. KIA is expected to commence mixed-mode runway operations after completing the required operational preparations and coordinating implementation with air traffic control and other airport systems.
