Hindon and the case for efficient, low-cost airports

A latecomer on India's aviation map, the Indian Air Force (IAF) ownedand-operated Hindon airport in Ghaziabad saw its first commercial flight in October 2019 - after much debate and discussion between the ministry of civil aviation (MoCA), IAF, and Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL).

- Anjuli Bhargava

For budget-conscious fliers living in and around East Delhi and even Noida, Hindon is a lifeline.

(HT Archive)

Initially, the idea was to promote regional connectivity and give a fillip to the UDAN scheme. While a few airlines started operating flights from Hindon, the pandemic caused curtains to fall after a short appearance on the aviation stage.

It was only in March 2025 that commercial operations were revived, when the low-fare airline of the Tatas, Air India Express (AIX), unable to secure time slots at the DIAL airport, began operating flights from Hindon. Now, the airline operates over 50 flights a week, to five destinations, from the airport. Soon after, Star Air (20 departures a week, to four destinations), and IndiGo (52 departures a week, to six destinations) also began operating flights from the facility, transforming the sleepy airport into a mini aviation hub in the national capital region.

The good news is that its popularity seems to be on the rise. Even though the airport is a far cry from the fancy private airports India's fliers have got accustomed to, people are beginning to appreciate its advantages.