Commercial operations at the green-field Noida International Airport in Jewar began on 15 June with an IndiGo flight from Lucknow, marking the first of more than 20 domestic routes slated for launch this month. Akasa Air will follow on 16 June with services to Bengaluru and Navi Mumbai. Phase 1 of the privately-built airport—set in Uttar Pradesh but positioned as a second hub for the Delhi National Capital Region—features a single 3,900-metre runway and a terminal capable of handling 12 million passengers annually. Regulators have already granted an aerodrome licence; expansion plans envisage five runways and a long-term capacity of 225 million passengers, which would place Jewar among the world’s largest aviation facilities. For corporate mobility planners, the new airport promises significant time savings for travellers originating in Noida, Greater Noida, Agra and parts of Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, who currently endure heavy road congestion en route to Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. The Uttar Pradesh government, which holds a 37.5 per cent stake, has announced dedicated expressway links, a high-speed rail station and a multimodal cargo hub aimed at e-commerce and pharmaceutical exporters. Airlines are racing to secure slots. IndiGo’s initial schedule connects Jewar with Hyderabad, Amritsar, Chandigarh and Srinagar by 1 July, while full-service carrier Vistara is expected to announce international services once immigration counters go live later this year. Travel managers should update booking tools to include the new DXN (IATA) airport code and review ground-transport allowances for staff based in the NCR’s eastern corridor.
Source: The Financial Express
