Key facts
- Noida International Airport has commenced commercial flight operations.
- The inaugural flight was an IndiGo service from Lucknow.
- Villagers who sold their land for the airport's development were passengers on the first flight.
- The airport is expected to enhance connectivity in western Uttar Pradesh and the National Capital Region.
Noida International Airport officially began passenger flight operations on Monday, marking a significant milestone for air connectivity in the region. The airport received its first arrival, an IndiGo flight from Lucknow, and subsequently facilitated its inaugural departure to the same city. Notably, passengers on this inaugural departure included villagers from the Jewar region whose land was acquired for the airport's first phase of development. These villagers were invited to be part of the historic flight and were scheduled to be received by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow. Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh highlighted the contribution of these farmers, stating that the families who dedicated their land were now taking to the skies from it. The new greenfield airport project is expected to enhance air connectivity between western Uttar Pradesh, the National Capital Region, and other parts of the country, serving as a multimodal transport hub. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had previously laid the foundation stone in November 2021 and inaugurated the airport in March this year. Initially, the airport will offer 12 daily flights.