"Six new destinations to be added to hub-and-spoke model in next six weeks": Civil Aviation Minister
Varanasi, June 25
Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu on Thursday said that the Centre will bring in six destinations under the hub-and-spoke model in the next six weeks, to take the initiative to all airports in the country.
Ram Mohan Naidu inaugurated the first hub-and-spoke flight connecting Varanasi to the world via New Delhi, to operationalise international connectivity from tier 2 and tier 3 cities at scale.
Speaking to ANI, the Union Minister termed it an important day for civil aviation in India.
He said, "This is a very important day for Indian civil aviation because there are high expectations for hub-and-spoke operations in the country. Some are going to Dubai, some to Singapore and other places, and from there they have transit connectivity to the rest of the world. We have the capacity, and we have the infrastructure, we have everything ready."
"All the SOPs and systems are now finalised; all stakeholders have been brought together. And the first operation is going to start from Varanasi today. I have come to personally oversee the operations and see how it is going. So, in the next 6 weeks, we will see 6 new destinations added to this model. Now, if someone is travelling from Varanasi, they can simply do immigration here and go to Delhi. The aim is to open all airports under this model," the minister added.
The Centre began the first hub-and-spoke flight along with Air India.
Under the hub-and-spoke model, 'spoke' cities like Varanasi are connected to major 'hub' airports such as Delhi.
According to Air India, under the 'Easy Connect' initiative, the travellers from tier 2 and tier 3 cities will be able to check in at their home airport all the way through to their final international destination, with no need to collect or re-check baggage at the hub airport.
Travellers can complete international immigration formalities at their originating airport, and can transit through 'hub' airports as international travellers.
Meanwhile, ahead of the Nagpur visit, Ram Mohan Naidu said that he will see the master plan for the development of the Nagpur Airport today. He said that the Nagpur Airport will witness a major transformation in the next five years.
Naidu told ANI, "For quite some time, an agreement has been reached between the Airports Authority of India, the state governments of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, and GMR. This was all done together. We are developing state-of-the-art infrastructure in Nagpur that meets global standards. Today, we're going to see the master plan for that development."
"Nagpur is at the crossroads of the country. And many new industries are coming to Nagpur and its surrounding areas. Therefore, it's very important that aviation operations and airport operations are improved. We're going to ensure that in the next five years, we'll see a major transformation at Nagpur Airport," he added.
Last month, the Union Cabinet approved the upgradation and modernisation of Nagpur International Airport under the PPP mode.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is exactly what India needs. 🛩️ The time has come to decongest Delhi and Mumbai airports. Why should everyone funnel through those two cities? Nagpur being developed as a hub makes perfect geographic sense - right at the center of India. Hope they announce more such hubs in south and east too.
As an expat living in Bangalore, I'm cautiously optimistic. The hub-and-spoke concept works well internationally but Indian airports need to up their game - better lounges, seamless immigration, and reliable connectivity between flights. Hope the SOPs are actually implemented on ground, not just on paper.
Nice move by Naidu ji! 👏 Varanasi is a huge religious tourism hub plus business center. But why only Air India for first flight? Need competition from Indigo and SpiceJet to bring fares down. Also, what about smaller airports like Gorakhpur or Allahabad? They should also be included soon.
This is genuinely impressive infrastructure development. 🇮🇳 Having travelled extensively in India for work, I know the pain of connecting flights through Delhi. The immigration at origin airport is a game-changer. But they need to ensure enough staff at tier 2 airports to handle international formalities without long queues.
Finally some good news for aviation! 🎉 But I have one concern - what about passengers who miss their connecting flight due to delay at spoke airport? Will airlines take responsibility? Also, luggage security during transit needs to be foolproof. Let's hope the next 6 weeks bring more clarity on these operational details.
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