In a significant development, Akasa Air officially entered into a strategic alliance with the upcoming Noida International Airport in Uttar Pradesh on Friday, marking the second such collaboration for the ambitious project.
According to a statement released by Noida International Airport, Akasa Air will station its aircraft at the airport to facilitate both domestic and international flights. The partnership agreement was formally inked during the ‘Wings 2024’ industry event in Hyderabad, underscoring the growing momentum of the aviation sector.
Notably, IndiGo had previously announced its partnership with the greenfield airport, situated near the national capital, making Akasa Air the second airline to align itself with the project.
Expressing enthusiasm about the collaboration, Christoph Schnellmann, CEO of Noida International Airport, stated, “We are excited to welcome Akasa Air as our airline partner, marking a significant step forward as we progress towards airport opening.” He emphasized the commitment to enhancing air connectivity in Delhi-NCR and western Uttar Pradesh.
Akasa Air’s Founder and CEO, Vinay Dube, echoed these sentiments, highlighting the government’s focus on aviation infrastructure development and positioning Noida International Airport as a key player in India’s journey toward becoming an international aviation hub.
Dube emphasized, “Akasa Air’s proposed partnership with the airport is in line with our endeavor to build a holistic network that connects the length and breadth of the nation.” He expressed confidence that the collaboration would strengthen connectivity to and from Uttar Pradesh, providing passengers with a seamless travel experience.
The Noida International Airport, currently in the first phase of development across 1,334 hectares in the Jewar area of western UP, is slated to commence flight operations by the end of the year. The initial phase includes one runway and one terminal with a capacity to handle 12 million passengers annually. Upon completion of the fourth phase, the airport is projected to manage an impressive 70 million passengers per year, addressing the surging passenger traffic witnessed in India in recent times.