Amritsar becomes 2nd hub and spoke airport with access to over 20 international destinations
New Delhi, July 28
The government on Tuesday inaugurated Hub and Spoke international flight operations from Amritsar, making it the second airport after Varanasi to be integrated into the pioneering 'Hub & Spoke' framework for international passenger movement.
Until now, passengers travelling from Amritsar had direct international connectivity to only seven destinations.
With the introduction of the Hub & Spoke model, the global connectivity of Delhi Airport will effectively become available to passengers right from Amritsar itself.
"Travellers will be able to access more than 20 international destinations with a single check-in and a single baggage tag, making the entire journey far more seamless," said Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu.
At present, nearly 1.5 lakh passengers travel from Amritsar to Delhi every year to board international flights, while another 1.5 lakh passengers arrive from overseas via Delhi to reach Amritsar.
"As travel becomes significantly easier under this integrated system, we expect passenger traffic to grow rapidly," the minister added.
International passengers can now complete check-in, immigration and customs formalities at Amritsar before departure. Their baggage will be checked through to the final international destination, enabling them to transfer seamlessly at the designated hub airport to their onward international flight, without undergoing immigration or customs formalities again.
The launch follows the successful commencement of India's first Hub & Spoke operations from Varanasi on June 25.
Over the past one month, passengers originating from Varanasi have been seamlessly connected through Delhi to 18 international destinations, validating the effectiveness of the initiative in simplifying international travel
"Delhi will serve as the hub, while Amritsar will emerge as a major international gateway for Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. With its strong diaspora connections and vast regional catchment, Amritsar is among the Indian cities that stand to benefit the most from this transformation in global connectivity," said Naidu via a video message.
Amritsar occupies a unique position as one of India's major international gateways, serving pilgrims, members of the Indian diaspora, business travellers and tourists from Punjab and neighbouring regions.
Beyond improving passenger experience, the initiative is expected to generate wider economic benefits by strengthening tourism, trade, investment and regional development.
Studies undertaken by the Ministry indicate that the development of aviation hub operations could generate nearly 0.4 million direct and indirect jobs and contribute an additional $30 billion to India's economy by 2030.
By 2047, the cumulative impact is projected to support approximately 16 million direct and indirect jobs while contributing nearly USD 1.4 trillion to the national economy.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good move for diaspora connectivity, but I hope the ticket prices don't shoot up. Delhi airport already charges hefty fees. This hub model should benefit passengers, not just airlines. Let's see how it plays out.
As a travel agent in Amritsar, this is huge. So many NRIs from Punjab will benefit. Plus, pilgrims going to Golden Temple can now come from anywhere easily! Tourism boost incoming. 🛩️✈️
Single baggage tag all the way to New York from Amritsar? That's incredible. No more re-checking at Delhi. I hope they extend this to more tier-2 cities. Infrastructure improvements are badly needed in smaller airports though.
This is smart. Delhi as a hub makes sense because of its connectivity. But I'm curious if Amritsar can handle the increased passenger flow. The immigration counters there are already stretched during chardham yatra season.
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