T2 of the Kempegowda International Airport.
Credit: DH File Photo
The landing of a Saudia Airlines flight from Jeddah marked the shifting of all international operations at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) to Terminal 2 on Tuesday. The flight, SV866, landed at the terminal at 10.15 am.
Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), the operator of the airport, said IndiGo was the first Indian carrier to start international operations from T2, with its flight 6E1167 to Colombo scheduled at 12.10 pm.
Passengers on the flight which made the inaugural landing were welcomed with a Dollu Kunitha and Yakshagana performance at the terminal’s arrival area.
The first international departure from T2 was Saudia’s Bengaluru-Jeddah flight (SV867), scheduled at 11.50 am.
From Tuesday, T1 will serve as the operational hub for domestic flights operated by Indigo, Akasa Air, Alliance Air, and SpiceJet. BIAL said T2 will be dedicated exclusively to all international flights along with domestic flights operated by AirAsia, Air India, Star Air, and Vistara.
Hari Marar, MD and CEO of BIAL, said T2, with its modern infrastructure, efficient processes and diverse retail and dining options, aimed to “redefine the passenger journey”.
BIAL had originally announced August 31 as the date for shifting international operations to T2 but deferred it a day before the scheduled start. The garden-themed terminal was formally inaugurated in November last year. Spanning 255,661 sq m, T2 is equipped to handle 25 million passengers annually.