Passengers will be able to board flights from Noida International Airport (NIA) from June 15, marking the launch of commercial operations at the greenfield airport.
Airport chief executive officer Nitu Samra and vice-chairman Christoph Schnellmann spoke to Neha LM Tripathi about the launch, connectivity plans, airline interest and the airport’s long-term growth strategy.
Samra stated that the airport is strategically located and well connected through the Yamuna Expressway, offering signal-free connectivity and can be reached in around 25 minutes from Greater Noida and 45 minutes from Noida.
International operations are expected to begin by the end of the year, with six flights a day initially and over 20 destinations by July. The airport expects traffic to be in the range of 4.5 to 5 million passengers in the first financial year.
The airport is in talks with several airlines, including IndiGo, Akasa, Air India, and Air India Express, which are expected to begin services soon.
Christoph expressed confidence in the growth prospects for aviation in India, despite the current headwinds in the domestic industry.
The airport's USP is its competitive tariffs, which are on par with other greenfield and brownfield projects across the country.
Passengers can expect international destinations in southeast Asia, the UAE, and other international markets from Noida International Airport.
