Noida, June 15
Noida International Airport on Monday began passenger flight operations with the arrival of its first IndiGo flight from Lucknow, marking a significant milestone for air connectivity in the National Capital Region.
Soon after the inaugural landing, the airport also witnessed its first departure flight to Lucknow. The aircraft carried 172 villagers from the Jewar region, whose land was acquired for the airport’s first phase of development.
With the launch of operations at the greenfield airport, Delhi NCR has now joined a select group of global megacities served by multiple airports.
According to airport officials, IndiGo flight 6E 2278 departed from Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow at 7.12 am and landed at Noida International Airport at 7.58 am. The first outbound flight departed shortly after at around 8.10 am.
Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the airport represented a major step in strengthening India’s transport infrastructure and improving regional connectivity.
He said the airport would not only serve as a transit facility but also emerge as an economic center supporting industrial growth in western Uttar Pradesh and the wider NCR region.
“We want to see Noida International Airport grow not only as a transit hub or a hub for transportation, but as an aerotropolis,” Naidu said.
He added that the development of industries around the airport would help create a strong economic base with both domestic and international impact.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the airport in November 2021 and inaugurated the facility in March this year.
Officials said the new connectivity is expected to benefit business travellers, students, professionals and tourists by offering an additional travel option while supporting regional development.
The airport has been developed with a focus on multimodal connectivity through air and road transport networks.
Among those present on the first outbound flight were Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh and senior officials of the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority, including CEO Rakesh Singh and Additional CEO Shailendra Bhatia.
IndiGo Chief Strategy Officer Aloke Singh described the launch as an important development in India’s aviation sector.
“For IndiGo, the privilege of being the launch carrier at NIA is more than a commercial milestone. It is a commitment to western Uttar Pradesh, to the broader Delhi NCR, and the millions of travellers for whom this gateway opens new possibilities,” he said.
Noida International Airport Vice Chairman Christoph Schnellmann said the partnership with IndiGo would improve passenger convenience and strengthen aviation, tourism and trade across the region.
The airport is expected to play a key role in easing pressure on Delhi’s existing aviation infrastructure while improving access to western Uttar Pradesh and nearby areas.
