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Air India Flights Take Off from Guwahati's New Orchid-Inspired Terminal 2

Air India and Air India Express have shifted all their operations to the newly inaugurated Terminal 2 at Guwahati's Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport. The inaugural flights were celebrated with Assamese cultural elements, including serving traditional sweets and gifting a gamusa. The terminal's design, inspired by Assam's foxtail orchid and using over 140 metric tonnes of bamboo, recently won an International Architecture Award. This expansion is set to bolster Guwahati's role as a key aviation hub linking Northeast India with the mainland and Southeast Asia.

Key Points: Air India Begins Operations from Guwahati's New Terminal 2

  • All flights now operate from new T2
  • First flights honored with Assamese traditions
  • Terminal design inspired by local orchid and bamboo
  • Aims to strengthen Guwahati as a regional hub
  • Airport connects 21 domestic and 3 international destinations
2 min read

Air India and Air India Express begins operations from New Terminal 2 at Guwahati Airport

Air India and Air India Express commence all flights from the new Terminal 2 at Guwahati Airport, enhancing Northeast connectivity with cultural touches.

Air India and Air India Express begins operations from New Terminal 2 at Guwahati Airport
"celebrating the airline's commitment to connecting cultures and communities - Air India"

Guwahati, March 17

Air India and Air India Express have commenced all flight operations from the newly inaugurated Terminal 2 of Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Guwahati, starting from Monday.

The move marks a significant milestone in strengthening air connectivity to and from the Northeast.

The first Air India flight to arrive at the new terminal was AI 879 from Delhi, which touched down earlier today. Its return service, AI 880 to Delhi, became Air India's inaugural departure from T2.

Marking the occasion, Air India added a touch of Assam's rich culture for guests travelling on the inaugural flight AI 879. Passengers were served narikolor laru on board, and the first check-in guest was honoured with a traditional Assamese gamusa, celebrating the airline's commitment to connecting cultures and communities.

Air India Express also marked its first operation from the new terminal with flight IX 1517 from Kolkata, which was the airline's first arrival at T2.

The flight's onwards leg to Imphal became Air India Express's maiden departure from the new facility.Air India currently operates two daily return flights between Delhi and Guwahati, while Air India Express connects Guwahati with 17 daily flights to Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dibrugarh, Dimapur, Hyderabad, Imphal, Jaipur, and Kolkata.

The ground teams of both Air India and Air India Express are fully geared to welcome guests at the new terminal and provide seamless support and assistance.

The LGBIA airport connects 21 domestic destinations and three international routes, including Bangkok, Paro and Singapore, and currently handles more than 130 aircraft traffic movements (ATMs) daily. The additional capacity is expected to strengthen Guwahati's role as a regional hub linking the North-East with mainland India and Southeast Asia.

Designed by internationally acclaimed Indian architect Nuru Karim, the terminal draws inspiration from Assam's kopou phool (foxtail orchid) and incorporates more than 140 metric tonnes (MT) of bamboo. Architectural references to Assam's bholuka bamboo craftsmanship and the bamboo-based structural traditions associated with the Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh reflect the wider cultural fabric of the North-East.

The design received the International Architecture Award 2025 for integrating regional identity with contemporary infrastructure.

The airport is operated by AAHL through its subsidiary Guwahati International Airport Limited (GIAL). AAHL also manages airports in Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Lucknow, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Mangaluru.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Great step for connectivity. But I hope the operational efficiency matches the beautiful architecture. Our airports often look good but the passenger experience with delays and baggage handling needs equal focus. Fingers crossed this one delivers.
A
Aman W
Serving narikolor laru and gifting gamusa is such a nice touch! It's these small things that make travel special and promote our culture. Kudos to Air India for this initiative. Hope other airlines also adopt such practices.
S
Sarah B
As a frequent traveler to Guwahati for work, the increased capacity and potential for more direct flights is a welcome relief. The Northeast has been underserved for too long. This terminal should help boost tourism and business in the entire region.
K
Karthik V
Connecting 21 domestic and 3 international destinations is impressive. Making Guwahati a proper hub will be a game-changer for the entire North-East. Hope the fares become more competitive now with better infrastructure.
N
Nikhil C
The design winning an international award is a matter of pride. Nuru Karim has done a brilliant job integrating Assamese heritage. Using 140 MT of bamboo shows sustainable, local thinking. More infrastructure projects should follow this model.

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