Noida Airport set to begin operations post-Diwali

Noida: The Noida International Airport (NIA), being developed as a greenfield aviation hub in Jewar, Gautam Buddh Nagar, is on track to begin operations by the end of this year.

Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu recently told reporters that the airport would be inaugurated on October 30 and flight operations begin within next 45 days with 10 routes.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also reiterated the airport’s commercial flight operations to commence by 2025 end.

Billed to be India’s largest airport upon full development before 2050, the project -- which started in 2019 and saw COVID-19 pandemic too -- was initially scheduled to launch operations in September 2024.

The airport, which is being developed in four phases, has completed key aeronautical infrastructure for Phase 1, including one runway and one passenger terminal with an annual capacity to handle 12 million passengers.

Technical installations and finishing works inside the terminal are underway, while an extensive Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) programme is in progress.

“Phase 1 construction is progressing steadily, and the airport remains on schedule for commissioning this year. The validation flight was successfully completed in December 2024, confirming the readiness of our navigational aids, approach procedures, and ATC systems,” NIA Chief Executive Officer Christoph Schnellmann told PTI.

The next major milestone is the issuance of the aerodrome licence by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Upon obtaining regulatory clearance, flight operations will commence in close coordination with airlines and other stakeholders, ensuring a smooth and safe launch.

Notably, the airport’s runway will be CAT III-compliant, enabling operations during low visibility conditions such as dense fog -- an essential feature for North India’s weather conditions.

The NIA has already announced IndiGo as its launch carrier, while Akasa Air will operate both domestic and international flights from the facility. Talks are going on with several international carriers.