In a significant turn of events, over 300 employees of the Adani-controlled Thiruvananthapuram International Airport have opted to transfer to other airports managed by the Airport Authority of India by submitting their resignations. This marks a new chapter in the ongoing transition of the airport's management. The mass transfer occurs three years after Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL) officially took over operations at the airport following a contentious privatisation process.
The airport, which operates both domestic and international terminals in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, is currently fully owned by AAHL, a 100% subsidiary of Adani Enterprises Limited. Adani Airport Holdings currently manages eight airports in India, including Thiruvananthapuram.
Thiruvananthapuram airport had come under the limelight when there was a widespread protest against its privatisation by the Kerala state government, opposition parties and airport employee unions. The transition to private ownership has been contentious, with stakeholders expressing concerns about the potential impacts on airport operations and passenger services.
Under the terms of the agreement, AAHL was to operate, manage, and develop the airport for 50 years, while AAI employees were given the option to either remain at this airport or be relocated to other AAI-run airports across the country.
“In order to make the transition smoother, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) and AAHL jointly ran the airport for the first three years after which AAHL has now taken the complete control of it. As far as the employee options were concerned, this period was over on 13th October," said K.P Suresh, President of the Airport Authority Employees Union (AAEU).
Suresh added that the employees were given a choice to get absorbed by AAHL or accept transfers to other AAI-controlled airports. “We all have decided to take the transfer,” he said.
"Since the takeover in 2019, AAHL has hired nearly 90% of the necessary staff and provided them with the required training. Now that the process is complete, the airport does not face any staff shortages," said Suresh while talking to The New Indian Express.
Employees who resigned from Thiruvananthapuram Airport have been transferred to various airports within and outside Kerala, including Coimbatore, Chennai, Kozhikode, and Madurai.
For people like Suresh, however, it’s the emotional impact that matters. These employees have worked together as a family for many years, with most having settled in the area. Now, they have all been scattered to different locations.
“While the employees' union assisted some in securing their preferred transfer locations, that was not the case for everyone," Suresh lamented.
The employees' union had previously resisted the privatization of airports, citing concerns over potential increases in utility service fees and other factors.
Thiruvananthapuram Airport recently made headlines by announcing a 50 percent increase in the User Development Fee (UDF) for embarking and disembarking passengers.