Nearly nine years after its inauguration, Bathinda airport, the only aviation facility in Punjab’s southwest region, is still grappling with limited connectivity and underutilised routes.
Located in Virk Kalan village, about 30km from Bathinda city, the airport currently serves only two routes — Delhi and Hindon in Noida. However, official data shows that while the Delhi route is relatively popular, the Hindon route struggles with low occupancy, leading to mixed responses from passengers.
Alliance Air (AA) operates flights on the Bathinda-Delhi route with a 48-seater aircraft, while Flybig operates a smaller 19-seater on the Bathinda-Hindon route. According to Bathinda airport authorities, Flybig’s average occupancy is consistently below 50%. On the other hand, AA uses a 72-seater aircraft when ticket sales rise.
The airport once boasted connections to Delhi and Jammu, with occupancy levels hovering around 80%. However, these services were discontinued when Alliance Air — then a subsidiary of Air India — ceased operations in 2019 after its contract ended. The Delhi route was discontinued in November 2020, and flights to Jammu were suspended a year earlier.
In October 2023, flights from Delhi to Bathinda resumed after the Tata Group’s Air India Limited took over Alliance Air. Despite this, the Jammu route has not yet seen any takers from other airlines.
Bathinda airport authorities believe there is a strong potential for aviation growth in the Malwa region. Airport director Sawar Mal Singaria emphasised that there is a growing demand for services, particularly to religious destinations such as Jammu, Nanded and Ayodhya. He also pointed out that Bathinda houses key institutions like the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and the Central University of Punjab, further highlighting the need for better connectivity.
{{/usCountry}}Bathinda airport authorities believe there is a strong potential for aviation growth in the Malwa region. Airport director Sawar Mal Singaria emphasised that there is a growing demand for services, particularly to religious destinations such as Jammu, Nanded and Ayodhya. He also pointed out that Bathinda houses key institutions like the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and the Central University of Punjab, further highlighting the need for better connectivity.
{{/usCountry}}“We regularly receive queries about the resumption of flights to Jammu. Bathinda has enormous potential for aviation growth, and with political intervention, private players might consider connecting us with religious hubs,” Singaria said.
He revealed that the airport administration is in talks with Indigo to explore potential flights to Delhi, Jammu, Nanded and Ayodhya. Singaria noted that Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the Bathinda parliamentarian, is keen on promoting the region and encouraging more airlines to operate in the area.
The airport authorities plan to formally write to Indigo and other airlines soon, urging them to evaluate the demand for flights to Bathinda.