HINDON AIRPORT LANDS IN COURT

First, it was Jewar, and now it is Hindon Airport. Slowly, but surely the Ministry of Civil Aviation is all assurances and agreements into the dustbin as it recrafts the airports configuration in the NCR region. It’s no surprise that GMR, operators of Delhi Airport (DIAL), have chosen to go to court to sort out the matter once and for all considering they have the most lose with all this flip-flop.

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The Hindon Airport, in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, has recently become the subject of much aviation chatter. In a move that has sparked both curiosity and controversy, Air India Express announced the launch of multiple flights from the airport. The airline recently launched multiple domestic routes from Hindon, offering 40 weekly flights to key destinations like Bengaluru, Chennai, Goa, Jammu, and Kolkata. The move has raised eyebrows, as the airport is only about 40 km from the Delhi Airport.

For many, this decision seems puzzling at first glance. Why Hindon? What's the strategic rationale? Is this a genuine attempt to boost regional connectivity, or is there something else at play? Most importantly, will it make the Delhi Airport “economically and financially unviable”?

Hindon, primarily known as a military airbase, is not traditionally associated with commercial aviation. A civil enclave within the Hindon Air Force Station, Hindon Airport was initially conceived under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS-UDAN) to connect smaller towns and cities. Its initial operations were sporadic, with limited flights and passenger traffic.

In August 2017, the Indian Air Force authorised the development of a civil enclave next to their airbase. This resulted in a 7.5-acre facility in Sikandarpur village, featuring a 5,425-square-meter terminal building equipped with eight check-in counters, designed to handle 300 passengers per hour. Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially opened the terminal on March 8, 2019.

Commercial flight operations began in October 2019, with Air Heritage initiating services to Pithoragarh using a nine-seater Super King Air B350 aircraft, operating under the UDAN regional connectivity scheme.