Commercial flights to take off from Noida airport by next April

Earlier, commercial flights were scheduled to begin by 2024-end but it has been pushed to April 2025 in view of the work progress.

Chief executive officer of Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), the operator of the Noida international airport in Jewar, said on Thursday that validation flights for testing the arrival and departure procedures at the greenfield airport, is likely to take off in December this year and commercial operations are scheduled to begin by April-end 2025.

A view of the ongoing construction work at Noida International Airport in Jewar, Greater Noida, on Thursday. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

Earlier, commercial flights were scheduled to begin by 2024-end but it has been pushed to April 2025 in view of the work progress, said YIAPL.

“The airport work remains on course with its development milestones. Validation flights, to test flight procedures, as well as filing of the aerodrome licence application are expected by December 2024. Commercial operations at the airport are scheduled to begin by the end of April 2025. There has been exceptional progress in the two years since the commencement of construction activity. The airport is set to play a significant role in the growth of Indian aviation upon completion,” said Christoph Schnellmann, CEO, YIAPL.

YIAPL said the airport, the largest in the country, is set to offer a fully electric fleet of ground service equipment and passengers will be treated to a paperless and completely digital driven experience.

“We have signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with IndiGo and Akasa Air with network planning and operational requirements under discussion. Key aero concessions, including into-plane fuelling services, ground handling, and cargo, have been awarded. Non-aero concessions for retail, dining, lounge, duty-free shopping, and hotel have also been signed,” said Kiran Jain, chief operating officer, Noida International airport.

He said the factory acceptance tests for key airport systems are complete, and equipment have started arriving on site. Check-in kiosks, self-service bag drops, and e-gates are being tested. In terms of operational readiness, the NIAL has done agreements for crucial operational and maintenance services, including airfield lighting, passenger boarding bridges, lifts and escalators have been signed. NIA will apply for aerodrome licence by the end of 2024.

“We continue to work closely with contractor, Tata Projects Limited, and all stakeholders to maintain a high momentum of construction activity. The airport will combine Indian warmth and hospitality with Swiss technology and efficiency to develop a modern, user-friendly design, inspired by India,” said Jain.

“The first phase of the airport will feature one runway and one terminal, with the capacity to handle traffic of 12 million passengers annually. On completion of all four development phases, the airport will be able to cater to 70 million passengers a year,” added Jain.