New Bengaluru International Airport Opening postponed by 24 hours

Press Statement
May 21, 2008
6:15 pm

New Bengaluru International Airport Opening postponed by 24 hours

This is to announce that Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) has just received notification from the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA). According to the notification, "the Central Government hereby notifies that the Bangalore International Airport at Devanahalli would be commissioned w.e.f. 00.01 hours of 24th May, 2008, instead of w.e.f. 00.01 hours of 23rd May 2008 as notified earlier".

The switch to the new airport will take place at midnight (00:01 hours of May 24). All flights landing and departing after midnight will operate from the new airport and flights arriving before midnight (on May 23, 2008) and departing after midnight will also operate from the new airport.

Commenting on the sudden notification, Albert Brunner, CEO, BIAL said, "We are taken by surprise. In fact, we have just closed a press conference communicating our preparedness for tomorrow. However, there is nothing we can do at this point. All our efforts are now towards minimizing passenger and airline inconvenience owing to this postponement."