Ahmedabad Airport Gets Hub-and-Spoke International Flight Services

GANDHINAGAR :  International travel from Gujarat is set for a major makeover with Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport becoming the third airport in India, after Amritsar and Varanasi, to launch international services under the Hub-and-Spoke model.

The initiative, launched by the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation, is expected to save passengers time and reduce the hassle of repeated customs, immigration and baggage procedures while connecting Ahmedabad travellers to around 15 international destinations through Delhi.

Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu said the initiative was aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision of making India a global aviation hub.

“Passengers will be able to complete baggage checks and immigration procedures at Ahmedabad itself. They will not have to repeat these processes while changing flights at Delhi,” Naidu said, describing the model as a major step towards smoother international travel.

Under the Hub-and-Spoke system, passengers from smaller cities are brought to a central airport or ‘hub’, from where they connect to international flights. Customs and immigration formalities, along with baggage handling, are completed at the originating airport, allowing passengers to avoid repeating these procedures at the connecting hub.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said the facility would directly benefit the state’s large NRI community and international travellers.

“The launch of Hub-and-Spoke services from Ahmedabad will provide international travellers from Gujarat with direct ‘Ease of Travel’ benefits,” Patel said.

He highlighted Gujarat’s expanding aviation infrastructure, including aircraft leasing and financing activities at GIFT City and the upcoming greenfield airport at Dholera. Gujarat currently has 19 operational airports, including three international airports, officials said.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said Ahmedabad’s location, strong business ecosystem and large Gujarati diaspora made it ideally suited to emerge as a major global connectivity centre.

Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Sinha said Ahmedabad’s inclusion followed the successful implementation of the model at Varanasi and Amritsar.

The new system is also expected to strengthen sectors such as tourism, hospitality, pharmaceuticals, textiles, gems and jewellery, engineering, semiconductors and manufacturing, while improving the overall passenger experience.