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Operationalises Government of India’s transformative hub-and-spoke model
from Ahmedabad
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Two daily ‘Easy Connect’ flights from Ahmedabad to Delhi
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Linking Gujarat to leading global destinations across the US, Canada,
the UK, Europe, Australia, Asia Pacific, South East Asia and the Gulf
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Inbound Easy Connect operations to Ahmedabad to begin soon
AHMEDABAD : Air India
today announced the launch of ‘Easy Connect’ services from Ahmedabad, marking a
significant milestone in the Government of India’s transformative hub-and-spoke
initiative.
Ahmedabad
joins Amritsar and Varanasi in the growing Easy Connect network, extending
seamless international connectivity to travellers across Gujarat while
supporting India’s ambition of becoming a leading global aviation hub.
Through this initiative, more travellers across India can access
Air India’s global network through Indian hubs, strengthening the country's
connectivity with destinations around the world.
As part of the Easy Connect programme, international travellers
from Ahmedabad can complete through check-in to their final destinations, clear
immigration formalities at Ahmedabad airport, and enjoy seamless transfers
through Delhi without having to re-check baggage or change terminals.
This enables travellers to fly via Delhi as international transit
passengers, avoiding repeated procedures and making international travel
significantly simpler and more convenient. By connecting through an Indian hub
rather than a foreign airport, travellers can enjoy a more familiar and
seamless transit experience.
Air India has designated the following two daily flights from Ahmedabad
to Delhi as ‘Easy Connect’ services:
- AI1121, departing
Ahmedabad at 08:15 PM and arriving in Delhi at 10:00 PM (starting 1
September)
- AI1117, departing
Ahmedabad at 08:25 AM and arriving in Delhi at 10:15 AM (starting 2
September)
Together, these flights provide seamless onward connectivity to 26
international destinations within four hours of arrival in Delhi, including
destinations across the US, Canada, the UK, Europe, Australia, Asia Pacific, Southeast
Asia and the Gulf.
Air India
will also soon begin inbound Easy Connect operations, enabling seamless
international-to-domestic transfers via Delhi for passengers travelling onwards
to Ahmedabad.
Commenting at the launch, Mr Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Hon'ble Minister
of Civil Aviation, Government of India, said: “The
expansion of hub-and-spoke operations to Ahmedabad is another step forward in
our vision towards building a more connected, inclusive and globally
competitive aviation ecosystem. India’s aviation growth must extend beyond the
major metropolitan centres and ensure that the benefits of air connectivity reach
every region of the country. By linking Ahmedabad with global destinations
through Indian hubs, this initiative will support trade, tourism and mobility,
while advancing our vision of strengthening India’s role in global aviation.”
Hon'ble Minister of Civil Aviation,
Government of India, Shri Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu; Hon’ble Chief Minister,
Government of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel; Hon'ble Minister of State for Civil
Aviation and Cooperation, Government of India Shri Murlidhar Mohol; Hon’ble
Deputy Chief Minister, Government of Gujarat Shri Harsh Ramesh Kumar Sanghavi; Shri
Manoj Kumar Das, Chief Secretary, Government of Gujarat; Mr. Samir Kumar Sinha,
Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation; Mr. P. Balaji, Group Head - Governance,
Risk, Compliance & Corporate Affairs, Air India; Mr. Jeet Adani, Director,
Adani Airport Holdings Limited, along with other senior officials from
government agencies, airport stakeholders and Air India were present at the
inaugural event.
Connecting Gujarat to 26
Global Destinations
Flight AI1117, the morning Easy Connect service from Ahmedabad,
provides onward connectivity via Delhi to destinations such as Shanghai,
Kathmandu, Dubai, Amsterdam, Manila, Paris, Colombo, Ho Chi Minh City,
Frankfurt, Vienna, London, Milan, Phuket, Kuala Lumpur, Riyadh, Birmingham,
Copenhagen, Rome and Zurich.
Flight AI1121, the evening Easy Connect service, provides onward
connectivity to destinations such as Singapore, Seoul, Colombo, Bangkok, Hanoi,
Phuket, Dubai, Toronto, Sydney and London.
P. Balaji, Group Head - Governance,
Risk, Compliance & Corporate Affairs, Air India, said: “Ahmedabad
is an important gateway for travellers from Gujarat that is home to one of the
largest globally connected communities of Indians, with generations of families
and entrepreneurs forging strong links with communities around the world,
especially in the US, United Kingdom and Australia. The launch of ‘Easy
Connect’ services from Ahmedabad is an important addition to Air India’s
network and to the Government of India’s hub-and-spoke programme. By enabling
through check-in, immigration clearance at the point of departure and seamless
transfers through Delhi, these services simplify international travel for
passengers from Gujarat. As the first airline to operationalise this vision, we
are proud to support the development of India has a strong aviation hub and
contribute to the continued expansion of the country’s hub-and-spoke network.”
Air India
is leading a phased nationwide rollout that will progressively connect more
domestic “spoke” cities in addition to Ahmedabad, Amritsar and Varanasi to the
airline’s primary hubs in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, unlocking seamless,
end-to-end international travel for millions of Indians. In the coming weeks,
Air India will begin Easy Connect services from several other Indian cities.
Strengthening India’s
Position as a Global Aviation Hub
The Easy Connect initiative is part of a broader effort to
encourage more international traffic to transit through Indian airports instead
of overseas hubs. Of the nearly 25 million passengers who travel long-haul to
and from India each year, close to 20 million are connecting travellers.
Currently, around 85% of them, or approximately 17 million passengers, transit
through foreign hubs rather than Indian airports.
By combining the Government of India's hub-and-spoke framework
with Air India's expanding global network, Easy Connect seeks to progressively
route a greater share of this traffic through Indian hubs. The initiative is
designed to offer travellers a more seamless, familiar and integrated travel
experience while strengthening India's position as a global transit hub.
Air India currently operates the largest international network
among Indian carriers, connecting India with destinations across North America,
Europe, Australia, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Together with its
extensive domestic network, the airline enables convenient connectivity from
cities across the country to destinations around the world.