Flight operations at the Hindon civil terminal in Ghaziabad have witnessed a significant reduction, with daily departures dropping from 20 to just 12 after major airlines IndiGo and Air India Express curtailed services to multiple cities.
Officials attributed the initial scale-down to winter scheduling and frequent weather-related disruptions in January. However, several routes that were temporarily suspended during the cold wave have not yet resumed, raising concerns over connectivity from the regional terminal.
“Due to winter scheduling and flight cancellations, the two major carriers scaled back operations. Both Air India Express and IndiGo have indicated that services are expected to resume with summer rescheduling,” an official at the terminal said.
Multiple Routes Suspended
Until December, the terminal operated flights to 16 cities. Air India Express, which previously connected Hindon to destinations such as Kolkata, Goa, Jaipur, Chennai, Varanasi, Bhubaneswar, Mumbai, Patna and Bengaluru, is currently operating only on the Mumbai, Bengaluru and Patna routes.
IndiGo continues services to Varanasi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Patna, Ahmedabad and Mumbai. However, flights to Indore, Kolkata and an additional Mumbai route remain suspended.
Other carriers have also scaled back operations. Star Air is currently operating flights only to Nanded and Adampur, while its Kishangarh route remains on hold. FlyBig Airlines had earlier discontinued services to Bathinda and Ludhiana.
Connectivity Challenges Persist
Since its launch in 2019 under the regional connectivity scheme, the Hindon terminal was envisioned as an alternative to Delhi’s IGI Airport, especially for NCR residents in Ghaziabad and eastern Delhi. Annual passenger footfall has grown from around 8,000 in its early days to nearly 80,000 per year.
However, despite rising passenger numbers, the terminal has struggled with limited routes and frequent cancellations. The latest reduction in daily flights further narrows travel options for flyers relying on the regional airport.
Authorities remain hopeful that the upcoming summer schedule will restore suspended routes and improve operational stability. For now, though, Hindon’s connectivity remains constrained, impacting travellers who had come to depend on its shorter access time and regional flight options.
