Noida airport latest news: The Noida International Airport (NIA), the second airport in the National Capital Region, is set to commence commercial operations by the end of April 2025, according to Christoph Schnellmann, the chief executive of Noida Airport. The airport will undergo a series of test flights starting from September as part of the approval process.
The Airport Authority of India (AAI) is expected to conduct calibration flights for the Instrument Landing System (ILS) in September and October, according to an ET report.In December, a commercial airline will operate validation flights for approach and departure procedures without passengers.
“Once all these are done and clearance comes, we will apply for the aerodrome license from DGCA and have our first flight by April 2025,” Schnellmann said.
The commencement of commercial operations was initially planned for September, but a supply chain issue that affected the import of specialized steel used in constructing the airport terminal building’s roof has caused a delay in the process.
Zurich Airport, which won the bid to build the airport 18 years after it was first envisioned by then Uttar Pradesh chief minister Rajnath Singh, owns the airport. In 2022, NIAL selected Tata Projects for the construction work.
Schnellmann mentioned that the airport is garnering significant interest from both domestic and international airlines. The NIA is currently in discussions with Air India and other carriers for flight operations from the airport, which will serve as the second major airport in the National Capital Region after Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA).
The Noida International Airport’s terminal is being designed to handle both domestic and international operations in an integrated manner.
In its initial phase, the airport will feature a single runway and terminal, capable of accommodating 1.2 crore passengers annually. Upon completion of the fourth phase, the airport’s capacity will expand to handle 70 million passengers per year.
Several airlines, including IndiGo and Akasa Air, have already signed agreements with the Noida International Airport.
According to airport officials, the majority of the runway construction work has been completed.
The first phase of the airport will include one terminal, one runway, 10 aerobridges, and 25 parking stands.
To ensure seamless connectivity, the airport will be accessible through six roads, a rapid rail-cum-metro system, and pod taxis. Additionally, a 31-kilometre greenfield expressway is under construction to connect the airport with the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway at Ballabhgarh.
The Uttar Pradesh government has approved a Rs 16,000-crore rapid rail corridor that will link the two airports and other parts of Delhi. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) is currently working on a detailed project report, which is expected to be finalized by March.