13 Flight Routes Discontinued at Hindon Airport in a Year; Daily Operations Drop from 25 to 12

Ghaziabad: Flight services launched with much enthusiasm at Hindon Airport in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, appear to be shrinking rapidly within just a year. The number of daily flights, which once stood at 25 before the winter fog season, has now dropped sharply to only 12, raising serious concerns among airport authorities and the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

Officials stated that the airport director has written multiple letters to IndiGo and Air India Express, urging them to restore the discontinued services. Despite the reduction in flights, authorities claim that the flights currently operating are flying with nearly 90% occupancy, indicating strong passenger demand.

Flight Services Suspended to Several Cities

In the past one year, Hindon Airport has witnessed the closure of flight routes to 13 cities, including Goa, Kolkata, Varanasi, Patna, Jammu, Chennai, Bhubaneswar, Bathinda, Kishangarh, Jaipur, and Ludhiana. Many routes that were launched on a large scale have now been withdrawn.

Key Reasons Behind Flight Disruptions

Aviation experts believe that the decline in operations is mainly due to airlines shifting their focus toward the upcoming Noida International Airport (Jewar Airport), where several carriers have already booked future slots. As a result, their interest in maintaining operations from Hindon has reduced.

Additionally, security-related restrictions and frequent disruptions during the fog season have also contributed significantly. Another major factor is the upcoming implementation of new Duty Time Limitation (DTL) regulations after March, prompting private airlines to cut down flight frequency across multiple airports.

FlyBig Suspends Operations

Private airline FlyBig had launched flights on September 6, 2023, for destinations such as Ludhiana, Bathinda, and Dehradun. However, the Dehradun service never commenced. Later, the airline suspended operations nationwide, leading to the cancellation of flights from Hindon to Bathinda and Ludhiana as well.

IndiGo and Air India Express Reduce Services

IndiGo earlier operated eight flights from Hindon Airport, but the number has now dropped to seven. Currently, IndiGo continues services to Patna, Kolkata, Varanasi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad.

Meanwhile, Air India Express is operating flights only to Bengaluru and Mumbai. Airport authorities fear that further reductions in flight operations may occur by March.

Minister’s Promises Fail to Yield Results

Last year, when Air India Express launched nine routes and IndiGo introduced services to eight cities, the Civil Aviation Minister had promised improved infrastructure and facilities at Hindon Airport. However, the rapid decline in flight services within a year has raised several questions regarding long-term planning and sustainability.

Hindon Airport Director Dr. Chilka Mahesh stated that some airlines have booked slots for the summer season, but ticket bookings have not yet started. He added that letters have been sent requesting the restoration of services, though no positive response has been received so far.