A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON SUSTAINABLE AVIATION MANAGEMENT: Transtioning Indian Airports toward renewable energy

Several avenues warrant deeper investigation beyond the scope of this study. First, the analytical framework applied to CIAL and IGIA should be extended to greenfield UDAN airports, PPP-privatized hubs, and cargo-centric facilities, enabling the development of context-sensitive sustainability typologies applicable across India's heterogeneous airport ecosystem. Second, a comprehensive quantitative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) encompassing construction materials, operational energy systems, water infrastructure, and waste management would provide a more empirically robust foundation than the secondary data-dependent framework employed here. Third, a longitudinal passenger awareness survey tracking changes in environmental cognition, willingness-to-pay, and behavioural intent over multiple years would enable rigorous impact measurement of policy interventions and public communication initiatives. Fourth, dedicated research into SAF supply chain feasibility in India, including economic modelling of feedstock cost trajectories and blender incentive structures for used cooking oil, agricultural residue, and municipal solid waste pathways, is urgently needed to operationalize aspirational blending targets. Fifth, extending the regulatory comparison to the FAA (United States), CAAC (China), and CASA (Australia) would yield a comprehensive global benchmarking framework. Finally, the limited adoption of Electric Ground Support Equipment (E-GSE) and nascent green hydrogen infrastructure at Indian airports including the BPCL–CIAL green hydrogen partnership warrant dedicated feasibility and pilot-program research with emphasis on total cost of ownership and airside integration.

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