Indian Bureaucracy News, Ghaziabad, September 26, 2025 | The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is targeting a Diwali launch for new connecting flights from the Hindon Civil Airport to Lucknow and Prayagraj. This initiative was set in motion after a high-level meeting at the AAI headquarters, where officials directed airline operators to submit proposals for these high-demand routes to commence before the festive season.
The coordination meeting in New Delhi, chaired by AAI Operations Head Shri Sharad Kumar and attended by Ghaziabad MP and Airport Coordination Committee chairperson Shri Atul Garg, focused on strategic expansion to leverage the airport’s growing network.
“We proposed that flights from the civil airport should also connect to popular routes like Lucknow and Prayagraj,” said Atul Garg. “Given the terminal’s limited parking bays, the meeting concluded that connecting flights would be a preferable option to direct ones. We expect positive developments around Diwali.”
AAI Directs Airlines to Formulate Plans
Reinforcing its central role, the AAI has formally tasked airline operators with drafting concrete plans. Umesh Yadav, Director of the Hindon Civil Airport, stated, “Senior AAI officials asked the airline operators to chalk out plans for connecting Lucknow and Prayagraj, which are two popular routes with significant demand. The operators will revert to the AAI.” Carriers including IndiGo, Air India Express, and Star Alliance were reported to have shown interest.
This drive for new services comes as the existing terminal experiences remarkable traffic. The airport, which currently operates 16 flights connecting to 50 cities, has served over 600,000 passengers in the past six months with a record 92% occupancy rate, cementing its role as a key hub for the entire Delhi-NCR region.
Parallel Push for Infrastructure Expansion
Acknowledging the terminal’s rapid saturation, the AAI is also advancing a major infrastructure upgrade. Officials have requested an additional nine hectares of land from the Ghaziabad district administration to expand the facility. The expansion plan includes adding more parking bays and enhancing passenger facilities.
The development of Hindon airport remains a priority for the central government, with Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu having recently noted its impressive growth and the planned expansion to accommodate rising demand.