Noida International Airport to triple flight operations from July
What's the story
Noida International Airport (NIA) will nearly triple its flight operations from July 1. The number of daily flights will increase from the current 12 to around 40-45, connecting some 16-17 destinations. The expansion comes after a successful initial operation period since commercial services began on June 15. NIA Vice Chairman Christoph Schnellmann expressed satisfaction with the initial operations and is now preparing for this major connectivity boost.
Expansion plans
NIA to add direct services to several major destinations
The airport currently operates six arrivals and six departures daily by IndiGo and Akasa to five cities: Navi Mumbai, Jammu, Amritsar, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru. From next month, it will add direct services to major destinations such as Mumbai, Srinagar, Bareilly, Bhopal, Dehradun, Dharamshala, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kishangarh, Lucknow, and Pantnagar. IndiGo will continue its dominant role in this expansion.
Operational hurdles
Preparations for international operations by year-end are underway
Despite technical glitches with e-gates, DigiYatra access, and air-conditioning systems in the initial days, the airport operator used this limited schedule to stabilize operations. However, high app-based cab fares and limited public transport connectivity remain concerns for passengers. Meanwhile, NIA is also preparing for international operations by year-end. The necessary infrastructure for customs and immigration facilities is expected to be ready by then.
Passenger amenities
Expansion plans and network expansion discussions
The airport currently has seven food and beverage outlets, along with other retail stores. The terminal's expansion beyond its annual capacity of 1.2 crore passengers will begin once it reaches 80% utilization. However, no specific timeline has been provided for this development. The airport is also in talks with Indian and foreign airlines to further expand its network beyond the current destinations planned for July.