Nearly 1 in 5 UDAN flights grounded early

India Dec 12, 2025

India's UDAN scheme, which set out to make flying easier between smaller cities, has hit some turbulence—almost 19% of its routes shut down before completing three years.
Out of 923 planned routes, just 651 actually took off, and many were discontinued early, especially in states like Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

What went wrong—and what's next?

COVID-19, not enough aircraft, and low passenger turnout made it tough for airlines to keep these regional flights going.
Fourteen airports even had to close shop due to operational setbacks and low demand.
Now, the government is thinking about extending subsidies so airlines have a better shot at making these routes work—though finding enough small planes remains a big challenge.