OUR STATE-OWNED duty-free champion Aer Rianta International (ARI) this week pitched its hat into the ring for a retail concession at Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport’s new terminal three, which is due to open in 2010 in time for the staging of the Commonwealth Games.

The potentially lucrative contract has been structured as a joint venture between the winning bidder and the airport company. A 10-year concession with a five-year extension is being offered, with the airport company to hold 49 per cent of the venture and its partner 51 per cent.

ARI’s bid partner is Deepak Talwar’s Indian Duty Free Services, which specialises in inflight services for local airlines.

The contract involves running a 4,000sq m duty-free shop in a terminal being built to handle up to 35 million passengers.

ARI has been chasing opportunities in India for the past five years. It faces stiff competition. It’s up against Dubai-based Flemingo International (which has threatened legal action over the way the tender has been structured), Turkey’s Setur Sevis Turistik, Switzerland-listed Dufry and Spanish operator Aldeasa.

STICKING WITH aviation, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary used a press conference at Dublin’s Gresham Hotel yesterday to contradict tabloid reports this week that he might be pushing up daisies before the year is out. “I’m not dying in six months’ time,” he declared. “They say only the good die young so I’m going to live to a ripe old age.”