Air Works India (Engineering) Private Limited Vs GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (Competition Commission of India)
Case Background
Air Works India (Engineering) Pvt. Ltd. (“Air Works”), a provider of Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services for aircraft, filed information before the Competition Commission of India (CCI) under Section 19(1)(a) of the Competition Act, 2002. The complaint was against GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd. (GHIAL/OP-1), the operator of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), and its group company GMR Aero Technic Ltd. (GATL/OP-2), alleging abuse of dominance under Section 4 of the Act.
Air Works had been providing Line Maintenance Services (LMS) at RGIA under a license agreement since 2011. LMS includes troubleshooting, defect rectification, minor repairs and checks between aircraft landings and take-offs. Since these services require physical presence inside airport premises, Air Works entered into agreements with GHIAL for operational space.
After multiple renewals, the last agreement expired in March 2019. GHIAL declined further renewal, citing need for the space for airport expansion. Air Works alleged that this refusal was a deliberate attempt to oust it from RGIA and benefit OP-2, which was also engaged in MRO services.
Informant’s Allegations
Air Works alleged that GHIAL, being the sole concessionaire of RGIA, held a dominant position and abused it in the following ways:
