All domestic airlines, except Air India and MDLR, will start operating from the new terminal 1D from next month, however, it will barely be a year before they have to relocate to the upcoming integrated terminal 3.

While almost all airlines from terminal 1B and Kingfisher from terminal 1A will be shifting to the new departure terminal for now, once the new integrated terminal is ready all full-cost airlines will move to it. Terminal 1D will then serve as the country's first low-cost carrier terminal.

“Moving from one terminal to another is a logistical nightmare for airlines. Operations should not be hampered, and shifting should take place with least inconvenience to the passengers. By the time we would be able to settle down, it will be time to shift again. We anticipate a lot of confusion during the first few months,” said a senior airline official.

Jet Airways and Jet Lite will be the first to start operating out of terminal 1D, tentatively from April 4, while the other airlines will follow suit and begin operations around April 11, sources said.

“We have started the process of familiarising our staff with the new building. Our back-up offices will be on the ground floor of the two-storey structure, while the passengers will get dropped and check in at the upper level,” a Jet Airways official said.