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Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) has ended its ground handling concession agreement with Çelebi Airport Services India Ltd, a subsidiary of Turkey-based Çelebi Aviation Holding.
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The decision comes after the Indian government revoked Çelebi’s security clearance due to Turkey’s political support for Pakistan amid recent tensions and terror-related incidents, including Operation Sindoor.
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BIAL has transitioned operations to other existing ground handling providers to ensure smooth continuity and stability at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA).
🌍 Nationwide Termination: Other Airports Follow Suit
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Delhi, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad airports had already terminated their contracts with Çelebi before Bengaluru’s announcement.
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Çelebi has been ordered to immediately hand over facilities to ensure uninterrupted operations.
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The Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu is actively overseeing the transitions and has deployed special teams to manage any issues.
🗣️ Çelebi Responds
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Çelebi Aviation India refuted allegations of political links, stating:
“We are not a Turkish organisation by any standard… We operate with full transparency and have no political affiliations.”
👷 Impact on Employees
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The government is working to retain existing Çelebi employees by integrating them into new service providers.
🗳️ Background: Why This Happened
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This move is part of a larger boycott-Turkey sentiment in India due to Ankara’s support for Pakistan post-Pahalgam attack.
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Over 50% of Indian travel bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan have reportedly been cancelled.
