Ahmedabad has become the third airport in India to join the government’s Hub-and-Spoke framework for international passenger travel, following Varanasi and Amritsar.
Launched by the Ministry of Civil Aviation on September 1, the initiative aims to make international travel easier by allowing passengers to complete check-in, immigration, customs and baggage procedures at Ahmedabad itself before flying to Delhi, the designated international hub.
Under the new system, passengers connecting through Delhi will not have to repeat immigration or customs formalities. Their baggage will also be checked through to the final international destination, reducing transfer time and the hassle of handling luggage between flights.
Air India flight AI 1117 will connect Ahmedabad passengers to 22 international destinations, mainly across Europe, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Evening service AI 1121 will provide access to 17 destinations across North America, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and Europe.
Ram Mohan Naidu, Aviation Minister, India, said the move could significantly benefit Ahmedabad, noting that around 1.6 crore passengers travelled from Ahmedabad to Delhi last year to catch international flights.
The initiative is also expected to support Gujarat’s textile, pharmaceutical, diamond, gems and engineering sectors, while boosting tourism, trade and investment.
The government plans to extend the Hub-and-Spoke model to 22 more airports, including Surat, in the current phase. The broader strategy aims to establish India as a preferred aviation hub by 2030 and a leading global aviation hub by 2047.
