Noida Airport’s big takeoff faces airline turbulence

By Sohail Khan 30 August 2026, 2:08 pm

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Business News›Industry›Transportation›Airlines / Aviation›Noida Airport is up and running, but the big traffic switch is yet to come

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Noida Airport is up and running, but the big traffic switch is yet to come
Synopsis

Noida International Airport is experiencing a slower operational start than anticipated. This is due to competition from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. Connectivity issues and weak airline capacity also contribute to the challenges. The airport developer remains confident in its long-term growth potential. International services are expected to expand in the future.

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Noida International Airport (NIA) has seen a slower-than-expected start to operations, prompting its developer and concessionaire Zurich Airport International AG to factor in a more gradual ramp-up amid weak airline capacity, connectivity challenges and competition from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), The .

Zurich Airport International AG, the primary developer and concessionaire of NIA, said the airport’s near-term performance remained uncertain but maintained confidence in its long-term prospects.

“Slower ramp up expected due to challenging geopolitical environment with near-time performance remaining subject to elevated uncertainty. Route network will continue to expand with international services expected to follow. Strong confidence in the long-term growth potential and attractive fundamentals of the Indian aviation market,” quoted Zurich AG's outlook for NIA.

Establishing a new base at NIA would have required Air India Express to incur significant costs at a time when the group was looking to contain expenses.

Before the airline pulled out, NIA had expected to handle around 60 lakh passengers in its first year. That translated to an average monthly traffic of about 5 lakh passengers. July’s passenger count of 77,000 was well below that level.

The airport’s slow start comes against a difficult operating backdrop. Unlike some other Indian cities, the National Capital Region already has a major international airport operating below its full capacity.

Delhi’s IGIA currently has annual capacity of around 11 crore passengers but handled fewer than 8 crore passengers last year. The airport operates about 1,300 flights a day, compared with around 1,550 during the G20 summit in Delhi.

Also Read: Delhi airport plans to increase annual passenger handling capacity to 125 million

This leaves NIA competing with an established airport that has stronger connectivity to Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida and Ghaziabad and offers access through a range of affordable multimodal transport options.

NIA is also the only case of a second international airport opening in a major Indian urban cluster without the existing airport either operating at capacity, facing major constraints or being replaced. Airports in Mumbai, Goa, Bengaluru and Hyderabad had different circumstances when their newer facilities opened or were planned.

NIA had been expected to face a difficult period until IGIA approached saturation, which was earlier projected to happen by around 2030, when the Delhi airport was expected to reach its peak capacity of around 13-14 crore passengers annually.

Connectivity to the wider NCR remains another challenge for NIA. While peak-hour slots are expected to be one of its advantages, access from major population and business centres across the region could influence how quickly airlines and passengers shift traffic to the new airport.

The timing of NIA’s launch has also coincided with pressure on Indian airlines. Carriers are dealing with the closure of Pakistani airspace, which has made some western routes commercially difficult, higher oil prices linked to the US-Iran conflict and a weaker rupee.

These pressures have prompted airlines to cut flights and reassess expansion plans, adding to the challenges facing a new airport seeking to build traffic from scratch.

Despite the slower initial ramp-up, Zurich has maintained that NIA's long-term prospects remain strong as its route network expands and international operations are added.

(With inputs from )

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