CEO of BIAL, who faced much turbulence before he could give this city its international airport, is moving on
CEO of BIAL, who faced much turbulence before he could give this city its international airport,u00a0is moving on
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Survivor: Al Brunner has emerged from a series of battles winning some, losing some file pic |
Al Brunner, the man who valiantly navigated Bangalore's international airport to completion, is walking around on crutches these days. He is also preparing to leave this city after handing over charge to his childhood friend Marcel Hungerbuhler.
"Bangalore has treated me well," a smiling Brunner told MiD DAY yesterday, brushing off a suggestion that the controversial airport project had left him crushed. He attributed his injured heel to an awkward move on a squash court.
It didn't look like Brunner was being ironic when he said this city had treated him well. He has kept good health, and he recently told a friend he had survived India without vaccines. But journalists who have followed his career here know he hasn't always felt so relaxed.
Brunner came to Bangalore in 2002, when a Swiss-led consortium got the contract to build this city's international airport. A Tata-led consortium had backed out after years of frustrating negotiations with the government.
As CEO of BIAL for seven years, he faced opposition from prominent citizens, who argued that BIA's location in Devanahalli was too far from the heart of the city.
Soon he was also fighting politicians who changed the rules while the game was on, and ordinary citizens who were convinced the old airport ought to be retained for short-haul flights. He made other enemies along the way: taxi drivers, cargo handlers... He has emerged from those battles, winning some and losing some.
UDF worry The user development fee (UDF) is among his current worries. It came into force last week, some eight months after the airport began operations. Brunner had sought Rs 675 a passenger, but the centre has allowed him to collect only Rs 260.
His bigger worry is whether the airport can find the funds for expansion. Brunner estimates the airport has lost about Rs 150 crore since May 2008. He gave two reasons: the delayed UDF, and the shortfall in projected business.
It's a tough road ahead for the airport. Brunner and Hungerbuhler feel the aviation industry will grow at a "sustainable" 9 per cent a year, and won't go anywhere near last year's unbelievable 40 per cent.
Questions unansweredQuestions, such as when the second terminal will come up, remained unanswered at the end of yesterday's luncheon meeting with Bangalore's newspaper editors, and Hungerbuhler will have to address them when he takes over as CEO in February.
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Brunner's contract ends in April, and he plans to take up another airport job in Latin America.
