New Delhi: Noida International Airport (NIA) is set to commence operations next Monday, but with one fewer launch airline than initially planned. Air India Express has indefinitely postponed its plans to operate flights from the new airport, leaving IndiGo as the primary carrier at launch. Akasa Air is expected to begin operations the following day.
IndiGo to Dominate NIA Operations
IndiGo will be the largest operator at NIA for the foreseeable future. The Tata-backed AI Group, facing mounting losses, has decided to keep its budget airline away from the new airport for now. Sources indicate that AI Group is cutting costs and may not be keen to invest in setting up facilities at an airport in an area where it already has a strong presence at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA). The flights cut by Air India Express due to market demand and network rationalisation include those from Delhi as well.
Hindon Airport Faces Drastic Flight Reductions
Air India Express has also pulled out of Ghaziabad's Hindon Airport. Hindon has seen a drastic reduction in flights this summer, despite being located in a densely populated area. This decline is attributed to the devastating impact of the West Asia war on operating costs, as well as the defence airport's own limitations. Last winter, Hindon saw a peak of about 25 daily aircraft movements (25 arrivals and 25 departures). That number has now fallen to just eight, with IndiGo operating five arrivals and five departures, and Star Air operating three. The reduction followed IndiGo scaling back its operations and Air India Express withdrawing its 10 daily flights.
Operational Challenges at Hindon
While the flight reduction is part of overall cuts seen globally, Hindon poses serious operational challenges for airlines. The airport has only two parking bays for commercial aircraft and limited sunrise-to-sunset operational hours. If one aircraft gets delayed on the ground, the next aircraft scheduled to use that slot must be diverted to IGIA. However, Hindon is in the process of adding more parking bays to alleviate some of these issues.
